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THE  LIBRARIES 


Bequest  of 

Frederic  Bancroft 

1860-1945 


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THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 


THE 

PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

BY 

TRUMAN  O.  DOUGLASS 


'We  cross  the  prairie  as  of  old 
The  Pilgrims  crossed  the  sea, 
To  make  the  West  as  they  the  East 
The  homestead  of  the  free" 


THE    PILGRIM    PRESS 

BOSTON  CHICAGO 


y\  c 


COPTBIGHT,    1911 
BT 

THE  IOWA  CONGREGATIONAL  HOME  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY. 


THE    BUMlFOBn    PaSSS 
COKCdHD,  r .  H.,  TJ.  S.  A. 


TO  THE  CONGREGATIONAL  HOME  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 

THE  NOBLE  "MOTHER  OF  US  ALL"; 

AND  TO  THE  IOWA  CONGREGATIONAL  HOME  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 

THE  FAIREST  OF  HER  DAUGHTERS; 

TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  HEROIC  PIONEERS, 

AND  TO  THE  HONOR  OF  THEIR  WORTHY  SUCCESSORS; 

TO  A  PAST  WHICH  IS  GLORIOUS, 

AND  TO  A  FUTURE  WHICH  SHALL  EXCEL  IN  GLORY, 

THIS  BOOK  IS  DEDICATED. 


PREFACE 

One  of  the  closing  paragraphs  of  the  author's  annual 
report  for  1906,  read  at  Dubuque,  was  as  follows: 

Somebody  ought  to  write  a  history  of  Congregational  Iowa,  and  do  it 
pretty  soon.  We  have  a  few  fragments,  but  no  straightforward,  connected 
history.  The  material  is  abundant;  the  record  is  grand,  heroic,  inspiring. 
And  the  time  is  passing.  We  are  already  asking  questions  which  nobody 
can  answer. 

As  a  sequence  of  this  report  and  the  occasion — the  seven- 
tieth anniversary  of  home  missions  in  Iowa — the  following 
resolution  was  adopted: 

Resolved,  That,  reminded  by  this  meeting  of  the  kindly,  beneficent 
influence  of  home  missions  during  the  past  seventy  years,  and  recognizing 
the  value  of  the  services  rendered  by  the  faithful  workers  on  the  field,  and 
by  those  who  have  superintended  the  work,  particularly  that  of  our  present 
Home  Missionary  secretary,  to  whose  devoted  and  faithful  service  the 
progress  of  the  work  for  the  past  twenty-four  years  is  largely  due,  we 
render  devout  thanksgiving  to  God  for  what  has  been  wrought,  and  hereby 
register  our  hearty  appreciation  of  the  value  of  home  missions  and  look 
into  the  future  with  hope  and  good  cheer.  It  was  also  voted,  "that  Secre- 
tary Douglass  be  invited  to  write  a  history  of  Congregationalism  in  Iowa." 

The  task  came  to  me  undoubtedly  because  of  my  unique 
'position  in  the  Pilgrim  ranks.  I  was  the  oldest  man  in  our 
fellowship,  not  too  old  for  the  service,  and,  as  superintendent 
of  home  missions  in  the  state  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  (not 
a  century,  as  some  have  declared),  I  had  had  exceptional 
opportunities  to  know  our  ministers  and  churches  and  all 
our  institutions  and  our  whole  history. 

Asa  Turner  began  his  work  in  Iowa  in  1838  and  closed  it 


viii  PREFACE 

in  1868.  I  began  my  work  in  1868,  only  thirty  years  from  the 
founding  of  our  first  church,  and  near  enough  to  the  beginning 
of  things  to  know,  or  to  know  of,  nearly  all  the  men  who  had 
laid  the  foundations  of  our  Christian  institutions  in  those 
earlier  years. 

Mr.  Turner  closed  his  work  at  Denmark  in  1868,  but  he 
did  not  close  his  life  until  1885;  so  that  I  was  his  contemporary 
here  in  low^a  for  seventeen  years.  I  knew  personally  all  the 
other  patriarchs,  Gaylord,  Reed,  Holbrook  and  Emerson, 
though  Gaylord  and  Holbrook  had  left  the  state  before  I 
came.  Before  1868,  Hutchinson  and  Spaulding  of  the  Band 
had  died,  and  Alden  and  Ripley  had  returned  to  New  England. 
The  other  seven  of  the  eleven  were  still  associated  with  Iowa, 
although  just  then  E.  B.  Turner  was  in  Missouri;  all  these  I 
knew  well,  and  some  of  them  intimately.  With  Ephraim 
Adams  and  Salter,  I  was  in  close  association  for  more  than 
forty  years.  (I  protest,  however,. in  spite  of  many  statements 
to  the  contrary,  that  I  was  not  a  member  of  the  Band!)  Meet- 
ing Brother  Adams  for  the  first  time  at  a  joint  session  of  the 
Mitchell  and  Garnavillo  Associations,  at  McGregor  in  October 
of  1868,  I  said,  "Well,  I  never  will  get  acquainted  with  that 
man,  so  quiet,  so  stately  and  so  sedate!" 

But  I  did  get  acquainted  with  him.  He  gave  me  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship  at  my  ordination,  and  he  became  to  me  the 
brother  of  all  the  brethren;  and  he  came  into  my  life  as  no 
other  man  in  Iowa  has  done.  He  selected  me  for  his  successor 
at  Decorah,  but  the  church  did  not  ratify  the  election!  He 
did  not  choose  me  as  his  successor  in  the  office  of  superintend- 
ent, but  I  am  sure  he  was  glad  to  have  me  there.  Tears  will 
come  now  as  I  think  of  the  wounding  of  his  dear,  sensitive 
heart  in  that  he  was  permitted  to  lead  the  forces  only  to  the 
borders  of  the  "Promised  Land"  of  self-support. 

Many  others  of  that  elder  generation,  I  knew — Fathers 
Windsor,  Sands,  Taylor,  Tenney  and  Todd;  Brothers  Coleman, 
Helms,  Littlefield,  Upton,  G.  G.  Rice,  D.  E.  Jones,  Cochran, 


PREFACE  ix 

Chamberlain,  Magoun,  Bordwell,  Alex.  Parker,  Sloan,  Fawkes, 
Joseph  Hurlburt,  Joseph  Pickett,  Lyman  Whiting,  etc., — 
more  than  a  hundred  more. 

Of  the  hundreds  that  have  occupied  our  pulpits  since  1868, 
almost  no  one,  unless  he  passed  on  at  once,  has  escaped  my 
knowledge. 

In  my  home  missionary  work,  of  course,  I  visited  the 
churches.  Lansing  Ridge,  Templeton,  and  Traynor  I  have 
never  seen;  I  know  not  that  I  have  missed  any  others  of  my 
diocese. 

As  I  sit  in  my  study,  musing  of  the  past,  a  thousand  earnest, 
glowing  faces  are  looking  into  mine,  and  ten  thousand  hands 
are  waved  in  token  of  recognition,  and  in  kindly  greetings. 

To  write  of  these  men  and  of  these  churches  has  been  a 
comfort  and  a  pleasure.  For  the  past  two  years,  I  have  been 
walking  and  talking  much  with  those  of  the  former  genera- 
tions. Again  and  again  as  questions  have  arisen,  I  have  said 
to  myself:  "Well,  I'll  ask  Brother  Adams,  or  Julius  A.  Reed 
about  that." 

The  date  of  my  commission  to  write  the  book  is  May  17, 1906, 
and  before  these  pages  appear  it  will  be  beyond  May,  1911. 

In  May  of  1906,  one  more  year  remained  of  the  home 
missionary  service;  and  then  followed  more  than  two  years 
of  strenuous  campaigning  for  the  National  Society,  and  for 
Iowa  College,  and  in  the  Joint  Missionary  Campaign. 

Such  a  book  cannot  be  written  in  a  hurry.  History  cannot 
be  spun  out  of  one's  inner  consciousness.  It  requires  time  to 
gather  and  sift  the  material,  and  to  decide  between  conflicting 
dates  and  statements.  According  to  "The  Minutes"  and  "The 
Year  Book,"  the  same  man  may  have  several  different  names, 
and  the  same  church  two  or  three  dates  of  organization  or 
dedication;  and,  for  a  part  of  the  information,  hundreds  of 
letters  must  be  written  and  scores  of  documents  consulted. 
I  have  tried  to  write  with  the  accuracy  of  a  historian  but  I 
have    avoided    scholastic    forms    and    methods.     References 


X  PREFACE 

and  footnotes  have  been  purposely  discarded  as  of  no  profit 
to  the  ordinary  reader.  For  the  most  part  the  authorities 
have  been  named  in  the  body  of  the  book  in  connection  with 
the  quotations  made.  In  further  acknowledgment  as  to  the 
sources  of  information,  let  this  suffice:  The  records  from 
which  gleanings  have  been  made  are  substantially  "The 
Minutes,"  "The  Year  Book,"  The  Iowa  News  Letter,  "The  An- 
nals of  Iowa,"  "Asa  Turner  and  His  Times,"  "The  Life  of 
Reuben  Gaylord,"  "Todd's  Settlement  of  Western  Iowa," 
Doctor  Salter's  books,  Doctor  Holbrook's  "Recollections  of 
a  Nonagenerian,"  sketches  of  men  and  of  churches  secured 
by  correspondence,  and,  most  of  all,  the  files  of  The  Home 
Missionary,  and  the  unpublished  writings  of  Julius  A.  Reed, 
these  typewritten  and  bound,  and  in  the  custody  of  the 
College  Library. 

To  clerks  and  pastors  of  churches  and  others  who  have  fur- 
nished information;  to  the  experts  who  have  listened  patiently 
to  the  reading  of  the  book,  making  corrections  and  suggestions; 
to  those  who  have  aided  in  its  mechanical  construction,  and 
to  all  our  helpers  in  the  work,  we  give  most  hearty  thanks; 
and  not  least  of  all  they  will  deserve  our  thanks  who  will 
receive  and  "read  and  inwardly  digest"  this  product  of  our 
hands,  the  Story  of  the  Pilgrims  of  Iowa. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  Antecedent  Movements  and  EvENts 1 

II.  The  Prospectors   (1833-1837) 13 

III.  The  Patriarchs   (1838-1842) •   .      .      .      .  28 

IV.  The  Iowa  Band   (1843-1844) 51 

V.  "Other  Men  Labored"    (1845-1849) 74 

VI.  Reaching  the  Missouri    (1850-1854) 97 

VII.  Up  in  the  North  Country   (1855-1860) 118 

VIII.  In  the  War  Time    (1861-1865)     .........  145 

IX.  Along  the  Railroad  Lines    (1866-1869) 176 

X.  Up  in  the  Sioux  Country   (1870-1879) 197 

XI.  Maturity   (1880-1889)         223 

XII.  From  Dan  to  Beersheba    (1890-1899)         252 

XIII.  Scattering  Abroad    (1900-1910) 273 

XIV.  Through  the  Decades 291 

XV.  "Twilight  and  Evening  Bell" 313 

XVI.  The  Churches  in  a  Nutshell 326 

XVII.  Who's  Who 363 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

OPPOSITE  PAGE 

THE  PATRIARCHS         28 

O.  Emerson,  J.  A.  Reed,  Asa  Turner,  J.  C.  Holbrook, 
R.  Gaylord. 

THE  IOWA  BAND 51 

Benjamin  Spaulding,  Erastus  Ripley,  James  J.  Hill, 
Ebenezer  Alden,  E.  B.  Turner,  Grave  of  Horace  Hutchin- 
son, Daniel  Lane,  Harvey  Adams,  A.  B.  Robbins,  Ephraim 

Adams,  William  Salter. 

lOWANS  IN  A.  M.  A.  WORK 86 

Dr.  F.  G.  Woodworth,  Miss  Mary  C.  Collins,  Dr. 
Henry  S.  DeForest,   H.  Paul  Douglass,    H.  W.  Porter. 

G.  G.  rice 99 

John  Todd,  Edwin  S.  Hill. 

MEN  OF  THE  SIOUX  COUNTRY 103 

J.  D.  Sands,  J.  J.  Upton,  J.  O.  Thrush. 

EARLIER   SUPERINTENDENTS,   AMERICAN   HOME   MIS- 
SIONARY SOCIETY 113 

Jesse  Guernsey,  Joseph  Pickett. 

THE  LITTLE  BROWN  CHURCH  AND  REV.  J.  K.  NUTTING     117 

Vignette,  Nutting. 

PRESIDENTS  OF  IOWA  COLLEGE 120 

G.  F.  Magoun,  G.  a.  Gates,  Dan  F.  Bradley,  J.  H.  T.  Main. 

MEN  OF  THE  NORTH  COUNTRY        126 

Chauncey  Taylor,  W.  L.  Coleman,  A.  S.  Allen,  J.  D.  Mason. 

PRESIDENTS  OF  TABOR  COLLEGE 134 

R.  C.  Hughes,  John  Gordon,  W.  M.  Brooks,  Geo.  N.  Ellis, 
F.  W.  Long. 

OSAGE  CHURCH  BUILDINGS 141 

Osage  Church  (Upper  Cut),  Osage  Church  (Lower  Cut). 
xiii 


xiv  ILLUSTRATIONS 

OPPOSITE  PAGE 

OSAGE  PASTORS  AND  WIVES         157 

OFFICERS  IOWA  HOME  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY        ...     227 
T.  O.  Douglass,  Clayton  Welles,  P.  A.  Johnson,  J.  E. 
Snowden,  J.  M.  Sttjrtevant,  A.  L.  Frisbie,   G.  H.  Lewis, 
J.  H.  Merrill,  Annie  D.  Merrill. 

SUPERINTENDENTS,  CONGREGATIONAL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

AND  PUBLISHING  SOCIETY        231 

C.  A.  TowLE,  O.  O.  Smith,  H.  W.  Tuttle. 

OFFICERS  W.H.M.U.  OF  IOWA  1886-1911 233 

Miss  Ella  E.  Marsh,  Mrs.  T.  O.  Douglass,  Mrs.  M.  J. 
NicHosoN,  Mrs.  H.  H.  Robbins,  Mrs.  E.  M.  Vittum,  Miss 
Belle  L.  Bentley,  Mrs.  D.  P.  Breed,  Mrs.  H.  K.  Edson. 

REPRESENTATIVE  CHURCH  BUILDINGS         277 

Ames,  Belmond,  Grinnell,  Atlantic,  Des  Moines. 

OFFICERS  IOWA  BRANCH  W.  B.M.I.  1876-1911  ....  306 
Mrs.  Sarah  Candace  Parker,  Mrs.  G.  F.  Magoun,  Mrs.  E. 
R.  Potter,  Mrs.  Mary  S.  Kelsey,  Mrs.  A.  L.  Frisbie,  Mrs. 
Clara  Whipple  Rew,  Mrs.  Ella  Reinking  Towle,  Mrs.  Nel- 
lie Clarke  Parker,  Mrs.  J.  F.  Harden,  Mrs.  Julia  D. 
Brainerd,  Mrs.  W.  C.  Wilcox,  Miss  Grace  Potwin. 

REPRESENTATIVE  HOME  MISSIONARIES 317 

Francis  Fawks,  Anton  Paulu,  D.  G.  Youker,  J.  H.  Hanson. 


THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Chapter   I 
ANTECEDENT   MOVEMENTS   AND   EVENTS 

The  lineage  of  the  Pilgrims  of  Iowa  runs  back  through 
many  generations.  The  forces  uniting  in  Congregational 
Iowa  are  gathered  from  many  quarters. 

Congregational  Iowa  is  a  part  and  product  of  the  great 
historical  movements  called  Christianity,  the  Reformation, 
and  the  Puritan  Reform. 

In  a  special  way  it  is  a  part  and  product  of  the  great  move- 
ment called  Home  Missions. 

The  Pilgrims  came  to  build  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the 
New  Land.  The  people  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  Colony 
were  more  of  a  mixed  mulititude,  perhaps,  and  came  with  more 
of  mixed  motives,  but  they  also  came  with  pious  intent  to 
build  the  kingdom  of  God  in  the  New  Land.  The  chief  agency 
of  this  service  in  their  thought  was  the  Church.  How  careful 
they  were  to  have  every  part  of  their  territory  supplied  with 
church  and  minister — the  educated  and  godly  minister !  They 
founded  Harvard  College  almost  for  the  express  purpose  of 
raising  up  an  educated  and  godly  ministry  for  the  churches 
of  the  New  Land.  They  sometimes  petitioned  state  legisla- 
tures for  money  to  plant  the  church  in  the  new  community, 
and  did  not  plead  in  vain;  for  again  and  again  Massachusetts 
set  aside  money  from  the  state  to  plant  the  church  in  the 
new  community. 

Then,  as  time  went  on  and  there  were  many  settlements 
this  side  of  the  Hudson,  and  the  great  march  of  migration  to 
the  West  began,  the  New  England  churches  began  to  send  their 
missionaries  to  the  regions  beyond.     They  early  formed  their 

2  1 


2  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

societies,  Connecticut  in  1798  and  Massachusetts  in  1799, 
for  the  systematic  performance  of  the  work.  Later,  in  1826, 
when  the  western  rush  had  become  almost  a  torrent,  our 
New  England  fathers  united  with  other  denominations  in 
forming  the  great  American  Home  Missionary  Society  with 
intent  and  purpose  to  cover  the  whole  land  with  churches, 
however  far  remote  the  boundary  lines  of  the  country  might 
run. 

The  ordinance  of  1787,  creating  the  Northwest  Territory 
out  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  square  miles  bounded 
by  the  Ohio,  the  Mississippi  and  the  Great  Lakes  of  the  North 
was  a  great  Home  Missionary  movement.  Manasseh  Cutler, 
of  Connecticut,  a  man  of  heroic  mould,  a  patriotic  and  Chris- 
tian expansionist,  an  early  prophet  of  America's  great  future, 
broke  over  into  the  new  territory  on  a  tour  of  exploration 
in  1786,  and  in  1788  led  out  a  colony  to  lay  the  foundations 
of  Marietta,  town  and  church  and  college.  A  little  later, 
"The  Western  Reserve"  was  opened  up  in  a  Christian  way  by 
David  Bacon,  Joseph  Badger  and  Thomas  Robbins,  agents 
of  the  great  Home  Missionary  movement  sent  out  by  the 
churches  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut. 

We  were  early  on  the  ground  in  Indiana,  and  our  men  and 
money  had  much  to  do  with  the  planting  of  churches  and  the 
founding  of  Wabash  College;  but  for  the  most  part,  we  live 
in  Indiana  in  institutions  which  do  not  bear  our  name.  Our 
first  church,  of  home  missionary  origin,  of  course,  was  organ- 
ized in  1834. 

In  Illinois,  also,  much  of  our  early  work  is  lost  to  the  denom- 
inational name.  A  little  preliminary  missionary  work  was 
done  as  early  as  1812.  In  1816  the  Connecticut  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society  sent  out  a  missionary,  Salmon  Giddings  by 
nam.e,  to  labor  in  Illinois  and  Missouri.  Next  after  Giddings 
came  J.  M.  ElHs  of  Kaskaskia  and  Jacksonville.  He  was 
one  of  the  founders  of  Illinois  College,  and  for  years  was  an 
agent  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society.     To  him  came  the 


ANTECEDENT   MOVEMENTS  AND   EVENTS      3 

awful  experience  of  returning  from  a  missionary  tour  to  find 
his  whole  family  dead  and  buried,  swept  away  by  the  dread 
disease  of  cholera.  In  1829  came  to  Illinois  the  famous  Eleven, 
Asa  Turner,  Albert  Hale,  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  Theron 
Baldwin,  etc.,  from  Yale  Divinity  School,  to  gather  churches 
and  to  found  a  college.  If  any  one  wishes  to  know  what  these 
men  did  for  Illinois  and  for  the  world,  let  him  read  Dr.  Roy's 
"Half  Century  of  Home  Missions." 

Wisconsin's  first  church  dates  back  to  1785.  This  was 
Indian  church  planted  first  in  Stockbridge,  Mass.  In  1836 
Stephen  Peet  makes  a  beginning  of  the  Christian  conquest 
of  the  state  at  Green  Bay.  The  next  church  is  at  Platteville, 
beginning  in  1839,  as  a  Presbyterian  church,  but  learning  soon 
the  more  excellent  way.  I  know,  for  I  was  there,  though  too 
young  to  vote.  My  father  and  mother,  staunch  Presbyterians 
that  they  were,  voted  against  the  change.  That  is  ''the  hole 
of  the  pit"  from  which  I  "was  digged."  In  this  same  year, 
1836,  this  great  movement  reached  and  crossed  the  Mississippi 
at  Dubuque,  and  began  the  building  of  another  Christian 
commonwealth.  In  the  chapters  following  will  be  found  a 
part  of  the  story  of  this  great  movement  in  the  making  of  this 
great  state. 

Congregational  Iowa  is  part  and  product  of  another  move- 
ment called  or  to  be  called,  "The  Congregational  Renais- 
sance." We  had  the  best  start  of  any  denomination  in  this 
country.  A  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  there  was  scarcely 
any  other  form  of  church  life  in  New  England  but  the  Congre- 
gational. We  ought  to-day  to  be  the  largest  denomination 
in  America.  Instead  of  that  we  are  numerically,  though  not 
in  weight  and  quality,  one  of  the  smaller  denominations. 
Why  are  we  so  small?  Because  we  are  so  good!  "Be  good 
and  you  will  be  lonesome!"  There  has  been  with  us  a  great 
excess  of  undenominationalism.  We  have  not  cared  enough 
for  our  own.  We  played  the  "game  of  give  away"  from  the 
Hudson  to  the  Mississippi,     In  the  half  century  when  the 


4  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

Middle  West  was  filling  up  most  rapidly,  we  sent  our  ministers 
from  Congregational  New  England  by  the  hundreds;  we  sent 
our  members  by  the  tens  of  thousands;  we  sent  our  money 
almost  by  the  millions,  to  build  up  the  kingdom  of  God  to  be 
sure,  but  to  build  up  the  kingdom  of  God  under  some  other 
name  than  Congregational.  Here  is  a  specific  illustration 
of  the  excessive  liberality  of  Congregationalism  in  the  evan- 
gelism of  the  Middle  West: — 

The  Connecticut  Home  Missionary  Society  in  1816  sent 
out  a  young  man,  Salmon  Giddings  by  name,  from  Andover 
Seminary.  He  located  at  St.  Louis.  His  first  church,  of  nine 
members,  organized  there  at  St.  Louis  in  1817,  had  in  it  five 
Congregationalists  from  New  England,  but  it  was  a  Presby- 
terian church,  of  course!  His  next  church,  organized  at 
McCord's  Settlement,  Illinois,  in  1818,  was  Presbyterian,  too. 
In  twelve  years  he  organized  fourteen  churches,  each  one 
Presbyterian,  and  he  gathered  these  fourteen  churches  into  a 
Presbytery.  A  Congregationalist  from  New  England,  sup- 
ported by  the  Connecticut  Home  Missionary  Society  did  that! 
Why  are  we  the  little  denomination  that  we  are  to-day? 
That  is  the  reason. 

But  this  thing  could  not  last  forever.  The  light  of  God  as 
contained  in  Congregationalism  could  not  forever  be  hidden 
even  under  a  New  England  bushel.  There  was  bound  to 
come  a  time,  say  about  the  time  the  waves  of  migration 
should  mingle  with  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi,  when  men 
should  stand  up  out  here  and  say:  "We  believe  that  Congre- 
gationalism is  as  good  for  the  West  as  it  is  good  for  New  Eng- 
land, and  we  believe  that  now  at  length,  after  so  long  a  time, 
it  is  right  for  us  to  begin  to  build  churches  after  the  faith  and 
order  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers."  And  so,  about  the  time  we 
began  to  settle  Iowa,  there  was  this  renaissance  of  Congre- 
gationalism; and  Congregational  Iowa,  the  first  of  all  the  states 
to  feel  the  full  force  of  this  great  movement,  was  a  conspicuous 
part  and  product  of  it. 


ANTECEDENT  MOVEMENTS   AND   EVENTS       5 

Great  secular  movements  and  events  also  had  to  do  with 
the  making  of  Iowa,  but  the  mere  mention  of  them  must 
suffice.  The  discoveries  of  America;  the  great  migrations, 
savage  and  civilized,  of  modern  times,  preceding  ''the  star 
of  empire"  in  its  westward  flight;  the  war  of  independence; 
the  establishment  of  the  national  government;  the  adoption 
of  the  policy  of  territorial  expansion;  the  ordinance  of  1787; 
the  Louisiana  Purchase;  the  Black  Hawk  War  etc.,  etc.,  are 
among  the  antecedent  movements  and  events  leading  up  to 
the  Iowa  of  to-day. 

Of  the  last  two  events  a  word  should  be  said.  Iowa  had 
numerous  landlords  before  the  Louisiana  Purchase.  By  vir- 
tue of  the  discoveries  of  the  Cabots  (1497-1499)  England 
claimed  proprietorship  over  a  vast  undefined,  unbounded 
region  which  included  Iowa.  By  reason  of  the  adventures 
of  De  Soto  on  the  lower  Mississippi,  in  1541,  Spanish  maps 
had  "Nova  Hispania"  written  all  over  the  ''vague  outline 
of  North  America."  Somewhat  more  substantial,  a  little 
more  than  a  century  later,  are  the  claims  of  France  by  reason 
of  the  discoveries  and  exploits  of  Marquette  and  Joliet. 

They  are  the  first  of  the  "pale  faces"  to  feast  their  eyes 
upon  the  bluffs,  river,  and  prairies  of  Iowa.  Coming  down 
the  Wisconsin  River  in  birch  canoes,  says  Marquette,  "we 
entered  the  Mississippi  with  a  joy  I  cannot  express;"  and  they 
stood  face  to  face  with  the  bold  and  rugged  bluffs,  in  the 
midst  of  which  now  nestles  the  "Pocket  City,"  McGregor. 
It  is  a  tradition  and  probably  a  fact  that  the  reception  given 
to  Marquette  and  Joliet  by  a  band  of  Illinois  Indians  in  a 
village  located  on  the  banks  of  the  Des  Moines,  a  little  above 
its  mouth,  suggested  the  closing  scene  of  Longfellow's  Hia- 
watha : 

"And  the  noble  Hiawatha, 
With  his  hands  aloft  extended, 
Held  aloft  in  sign  of  welcome, 

Cried  aloud  and  spake  in  this  wise: 


6  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

'Beautiful  is  the  sun,  O  strangers, 

When  you  come  so  far  to  see  us; 

All  our  town  in  peace  awaits  you. 

All  our  doors  stand  open  to  you : 

You  shall  enter  all  our  wigwams, 

For  the  heart's  right  hand  we  give  you.' 

"All  the  old  men  of  the  village, 
All  the  warriors  of  the  nation, 

"Came  to  bid  the  strangers  welcome; 
*It  is  well,'  they  said,  'O  brothers. 
That  you  come  so  far  to  see  us!'  " 

April  9,  1682,  La  Salle  unfurled  the  banner  of  France  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi  and  took  formal  possession  of  all 
the  country  watered  by  it  and  its  tributaries,  in  the  name  of 
Louis  XIV.,  giving  to  this  vast  region  the  name  of  Louisiana. 
Under  the  protection  of  France,  there  is  a  show  of  occupancy 
on  Iowa  soil, — in  the  trading  posts  estabhshed  by  Nicholas 
Perrot,  the  first  of  Indian  traders  in  this  part  of  the  country, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Wisconsin,  probably  in  what  is  now 
Clayton  County,  and  at  "Perrot's  Mines,"  probably  at  Du- 
buque; and  in  other  posts,  established  later,  down  the  Mis- 
sissippi, and  up  the  Missouri. 

Now,  by  a  turn  in  the  wheel  of  fortune,  in  1763,  by  a  secret 
agreement,  in  the  ''Treaty  of  Paris,"  Spain  again  had  nominal 
possession,  and  for  a  little  time,  the  Spanish  flag  floated  over 
New  Orleans,  and  the  trading  posts  at  McGregor  and 
Dubuque;  and  land  grants  at  McGregor,  Dubuque,  and  Mon- 
trose, recognized  in  after  years  by  the  United  States,  were 
made  in  the  name,  and  by  the  authority  of  Spain. 

But  the  days  of  Spain  in  the  Louisiana  Country  were  soon 
numbered,  for  the  great  Napoleon  was  in  the  field,  changing 
the  map  of  Europe  and  the  world,  and  in  1800,  France  was 
again  in  full  possession  of  Louisiana,  on  both  sides  of  the  river. 

The  days  of  France,  too,  were  few,  out  in  this  western  world, 


ANTECEDENT   MOVEMENTS   AND   EVENTS       7 

for  of  necessity  Louisiana  must  be  a  part  of  the  United  States 
of  America.  In  the  "Louisiana  Purchase "  President  Jefferson, 
Robert  Livingston,  and  James  Monroe  were  the  chief  actors. 
By  this  great  transaction,  the  United  States  became  the  land- 
lord of  this  vast  estate.  When  the  treaty  was  signed,  April 
30,  1803,  "Livingston  arose  and  shook  hands  with  Monroe, 
and  with  Marbois,  the  French  minister,  and  said:  'We  have 
lived  long,  but  this  is  the  noblest  work  of  our  lives.  This 
treaty  will  change  vast  solitudes  into  flourishing  districts,  and 
prepare  ages  of  happiness  for  innumerable  generations.  The 
Mississippi  and  the  Missouri  will  see  them  succeed  one  another, 
and  multiply  in  the  bosom  of  equality,  under  just  laws,  freed 
from  error  and  superstition,  and  the  scourges  of  bad  govern- 
ment.'" 

The  territorial  names  of  early  Iowa  were  as  follows: — 
In  1804,  this  was  made  a  part  of  the  District  of  Louisiana; 
then,  in  1805,  it  became  a  part  of  the  Territory  of  Louisiana; 
then,  1807,  it  was  in  the  Illinois  Territory;  then  from  1812- 
1821,  it  was  a  part  of  the  Missouri  Territory;  it  became 
Michigan  Territory  in  1834,  and  Wisconsin  Territory  in  1836; 
Iowa  Territory  in  1838,  and  the  State  of  Iowa  in  1846. 

Governor  Grimes,  residing  at  Burlington,  in  an  address 
in  the  United  States  Senate  in  1866,  said:  "I  have  lived  in 
three  different  territories,  under  three  different  territorial 
governments,  although  I  have  resided  in  the  same  town  all 
the  time." 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  Louisiana  Purchase,  the  proprietor- 
ship of  the  Upper  Louisiana  Country  was  for  the  most  part  a 
fiction.  The  red-skinned  Pilgrims  of  early  Iowa  held  almost 
undisputed  possession  until  the  coming,  in  1788,  of  Julien 
Dubuque  to  open  the  lead  mines  in  the  place  which  now  bears 
his  name,  and  which  became  his  place  of  burial  in  1810. 

When  Uncle  Sam  came  into  possession  he  began  at  once  to 
look  over  his  property  and  to  consider  what  he  would  do  with 
it.     Various  exploring  expeditions  were  sent  out.     The  famous 


8    .  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Lewis  and  Clark  expedition,  hunting  a  passage  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean  by  way  of  the  Missouri  and  the  Columbia,  in  July  and 
August  of  1804  passed  along  a  portion  of  our  western  borders, 
naming  "Council  Bluffs,"  leaving  at  Sioux  City  a  cedar-post 
marking  the  grave  of  one  of  their  number,  Sergeant  Chas. 
Floyd,  to  whose  memory  now  stands  "a  lofty  obelisk,  erected 
by  the  Floyd  Memorial  Association,"  May  13,  1901. 

Another  expedition,  under  Zebulon  M.  Pike,  in  -1805,  was 
sent  up  the  Mississippi,  with  instructions  to  "note  the  rivers, 
islands,  rapids,  mines,  Indian  nations,"  etc.,  and  "to  examine 
strictly  for  an  intermediate  point  between  St.  Louis  and 
Prairie  Du  Chien,  suitable  for  a  military  post." 

At  the  Rock  River  they  called  on  Black  Hawk.  Twenty- 
eight  years  later  he  thus  described  the  meeting: — 

"Lieutenant  Pike  gave  us  some  presents,  and  said  our 
American  Father  would  treat  us  well.  He  presented  to  us  an 
American  flag,  which  we  hoisted.  He  then  requested  us  to 
lower  the  British  colors,  which  we  were  waving  in  the  air, 
and  give  him  our  British  medals.  This  we  declined  to  do, 
as  we  wanted  to  have  two  fathers.  He  went  to  the  head  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  then  returned  to  St.  Louis.  We  did  not  see 
any  American  again  for  some  time,  being  supplied  with  goods 
by  British  traders." 

In  1824,  President  Monroe,  supposing  that  this  part  of  the 
country  would  never  be  needed  for  white  settlement,  proposed 
to  Congress  that  what  is  now  Iowa  should  be  a  part  of  a  great 
Indian  Territory,  into  which  the  tribes  of  the  whole  country 
should  be  gathered.  Of  course,  this  was  not  to  be.  The 
tribes  then  in  possession  soon  lost  their  lease  upon  the  land 
which  they  then  held.  The  Black  Hawk  War  in  1832  was  the 
beginning  of  the  end  of  the  Indians  in  Iowa.  Black  Hawk, 
born  at  the  Sac  village  on  Rock  River,  Ilhnois,  in  1767,  was 
never  warmly  attached  to  the  Americans.  He  told  Lieutenant 
Pike  that  they  wanted  "two  fathers,"  but  the  father  of  his 
heart  was  the  British  father,  and  in  all  the  squabbles  of  Ameri- 


ANTECEDENT   MOVEMENTS   AND   EVENTS       9 

can  and  British  traders,  he  took  sides  with  the  British.  He 
was  not  pleased  when  Louisiana  became  a  part  of  the  United 
States.  He  was  not  pleased  when,  November  3,  1824,  the 
five  chiefs  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  ceded  to  the  United  States 
their  lands  east  of  the  Mississippi.  He  aided  Tecumseh 
against  the  United  States  in  1811,  and  became  an  ally  of 
England  in  the  War  of  1812. 

In  the  spring  of  1831,  Black  Hawk  was  informed  that  he 
must  remove  to  the  west  side  of  the  river.  His  address  to 
his  warriors  is  most  eloquent  and  pathetic: 

But  alas!  what  do  I  hear?  The  birds  that  have  long  gladdened  these 
groves  with  their  melody  now  sing  a  melancholy  song!  They  say:  "The 
Red  man  must  leave  his  home,  to  make  room  for  the  white  man."  The 
Long  Knives  want  it  for  their  speculation  and  greed.  They  want  to  live 
in  our  houses,  plant  corn  in  our  fields,  and  plough  up  our  graves.  They 
want  to  fatten  their  hogs  on  our  dead,  not  yet  mouldered  in  their  graves. 
We  are  ordered  to  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi;  there  to  erect  other 
houses,  and  open  new  fields,  of  which  we  shall  soon  be  robbed  again  by 
these  pale-faces. 

United  States  troops  and  Illinois  militia  assembled  at  Rock 
Island  to  compel  the  old  warrior  to  move  on.  He  was  "sullen 
and  spiteful."  "Your  father  asks  you  to  take  a  seat,"  said 
the  interpreter.  His  reply  was:  "My  father!  The  sun  is 
my  father;  the  earth  is  my  mother:  I  will  rest  upon  her 
bosom."  Finally,  through  the  efforts  of  Keokuk,  Black 
Hawk  was  induced  to  "touch  the  goose-quill"  and  to  affix 
his  sign  manual  to  the  paper.  "He  arose  slowly,  and  with 
dignity,  took  the  pen,  made  a  large,  bold  cross  with  force; 
then  returning  it  politely,  he  resumed  his  seat." 

In  his  Iowa  home  Black  Hawk  was  not  content.  He 
nursed  his  grief,  and  meditated  revenge.  He  persuaded  some 
of  his  young  bloods  to  go  with  him  on  the  warpath.  "They 
crossed  the  Mississippi,  April  6,  1832,  to  the  dismay  and  con- 
sternation of  the  frontier  settlements  in  Illinois";  and  the 
Black  Hawk  war  had  begun.  But  it  was  soon  ended.  August 
2,  of  the  same  year,  Black  Hawk  was  captured  and  held  in 


10  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

captivity,  first  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  and  then  at  Fortress 
Monroe. 

As  an  indemnity  for  the  expenses  of  the  war,  and  as  a  buffer 
to  the  Illinois  frontier,  which  had  been  invaded,  a  strip  of 
land  along  the  west  bank  of  the  river,  about  forty  miles 
broad,  and  extending  from  McGregor  on  the  north,  to  the 
Missouri  line,  and  known  as  the  Black  Hawk  Purchase,  was 
ceded  to  the  United  States  by  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and  opened 
the  way  for  white  settlement  this  side  of  the  river.  The 
council  at  which  the  transfer  was  made  was  held  September 
21,  1832,  on  the  ground  where  the  city  of  Davenport  now 
stands.  General  Winfield  Scott  representing  the  United  States. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty,  General  Scott  "invested 
Keokuk  with  the  rank  and  gold  medal  of  head  chief,  and  gave 
them  all  a  grand  dinner."  And  surely  "there  was  a  sound  of 
revelry"  that  night  as  United  States  officers  joined  with  the 
Indians  in  the  war  dance  and  other  rude  carousals  suited  to 
the  savage  taste.  The  date  set  for  the  Indians  to  vacate  was 
June  1,  1833.  Before  leaving.  Black  Hawk  was  set  at  liberty, 
and  he  returned  to  his  Iowa  home.  On  the  way  home.  Presi- 
dent Andrew  Jackson  had  a  conference  with  him  and  gave 
him  some  good  advice,  to  which  the  good  Indian  made  reply: 
"My  father,  my  ears  are  open  to  your  words.  I  am  glad  to 
hear  them.  I  am  glad  to  go  back  to  my  people.  I  want  to 
see  my  family.  I  did  not  behave  well  last  summer.  I  ought 
not  to  have  taken  up  the  tomahawk.  My  people  have  suffered 
a  great  deal.  When  I  get  back  I  will  remember  your  words. 
I  will  not  go  to  war  again.  I  will  live  in  peace.  I  shall  hold 
you  by  the  hand." 

At  home  a  great  assembly  of  chiefs  and  braves  gave  him  a 
welcome,  solemn  but  royal.  Keokuk  made  an  address  of 
welcome,  the  keynote  of  which  was,  "Let  the  past  be  buried 
deep  in  the  earth."  True  to  his  word.  Black  Hawk  never  again 
was  on  the  Warpath.  Iowa  continued  to  be  his  home  until 
the  time  of  his  death  which  occurred  at  lowaville,  on  the 


ANTECEDENT  MOVEMENTS   AND   EVENTS     11 

Des  Moines,  October  3  1838.  He  was  reconciled  to  his  white 
neighbors,  and  to  the  United  States  government,  but  he  never 
was  reconciled  to  the  government  of  Keokuk  by  whom  he  was 
superseded.  His  last  appearance  in  public  was  at  a  Fourth 
of  July  celebration  at  Ft.  Madison,  the  year  of  his  death. 
This  was  his  parting  address: — 

It  has  pleased  the  Great  Spirit  that  I  am  here  today.  I  have  eaten  with 
my  white  friends.  The  earth  is  our  mother;  we  are  now  on  it  with  the 
Great  Spirit  above  us.  A  few  winters  ago  I  was  fighting  against  you.  I 
did  wrong,  perhaps,  but  that  is  past;  it  is  buried;  let  it  be  forgotten.  Rock 
River  was  a  beautiful  country.  I  liked  my  towns  and  my  cornfields;  I 
fought  for  it.  I  was  once  a  great  warrior;  I  am  now  poor;  Keokuk  has  been 
the  cause  of  my  present  situation.  I  am  now  old.  I  have  looked  upon 
the  Mississippi  River,  I  have  been  a  child;  I  love  the  great  river;  I  have 
dwelt  upon  its  banks  from  the  time  I  was  an  infant.     I  look  upon  it  now. 

When  our  Pilgrims  began  to  arrive,  the  Winnebagoes  occu- 
pied Northeastern  Iowa;  the  '^ Bloody  Sioux"  were  in  the 
Northwest  portion  of  the  territory;  the  Pottawattamies  were 
down  in  the  Southwest;  while  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  and  remnant 
bands  of  the  lowas  occupied  the  great  central  plains  and  the 
Des  Moines  River  country. 

Of  these  early  proprietors  of  Iowa,  all  that  remains  is  a 
little  remnant  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes, — the  Masquawkees  (squaw 
men),  about  three  hundred  in  number,  located  on  the  reserva- 
tion on  the  Iowa  River  near  Tama  City.  This  particular 
band  has  made  but  little  progress  in  civilization.  Very 
little  has  been  done  for  them  in  the  matter  of  education  or 
religion.  These  former  masters  of  the  state  have,  however, 
left  behind  them  some  enduring  monuments  in  the  euphonious 
and  brilliant  names  attaching  to  many  of  our  counties,  towns 
and  rivers.  Allamakee,  Black  Hawk,  Decorah,  Winneshiek, 
Wakon,  Poweshiek,  Keokuk,  Wapello,  Appanoose,  Mahaska, 
Pottawattamie,  Sioux,  Wapsipinecon,  Monona,  Ottumwa, 
Maquoketa,  Keosauqua,  etc.,  are  reminders  of  a  vanished 
race,  pushed  aside  to  make  way  for  the  white  man's  civiliza- 
tion; pushed  aside  for  the  most  part,  as  De  Tocqueville,  with 


12  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

a  characteristic  Frenchman's  sense  of  destiny,  says:  "Tran- 
quilly, legally,  philanthropically,  without  shedding  blood, 
and  without  violating  a  single  great  principle  of  morality 
in  the  eyes  of  the  world.  It  is  impossible  to  destroy  men 
with  more  respect  for  the  laws  of  humanity." 


Chapter  II 
THE   PROSPECTORS,  1833-1837 

The  greatest  thing  in  the  world,  or  in  the  universe,  is  a 
great  personality.  Supreme  interest  attaches  to  men,  and  not 
to  things.  The  most  significant  part  of  history  is  biography. 
Great  achievements  betoken  great  leadership.  At  every  step 
of  progress,  and  in  all  the  processes  of  the  kingdom,  you  will 
find  a  man,  or  a  super-man,  a  woman.  Perforce,  it  must  be 
written:  "There  was  a  man  sent  from  God,  whose  name  was 
John.  The  same  came  for  a  witness  to  bear  witness  to  the 
light,  that  all  men  through  him  might  believe." 

The  story  of  Congregational  life  and  work  in  Iowa,  must  of 
necessity  deal  largely  with  individuals.  The  first  upon  the 
scene,  to  use  the  phraseology  of  the  mining  camp,  were  the 
Prospectors,  coming  before  the  Patriarchs,  and  the  Band,  and 
those  other  great  and  heroic  pioneers,  by  whose  wisdom, 
devotion,  toil  and  sacrifice,  permanent  foundations  of  our 
institutions  were  laid. 

The  beginnings  of  the  state  were  at  Dubuque,  and  the 
beginnings  of  our  missionary  labors  are  here.  In  the  autumn 
of  1832  the  Black  Hawk  Purchase  was  ceded  to  the  United 
States,  but  the  actual  opening  of  the  tract  to  white  settle- 
ment was  June,  1833.  There  was  no  great  rush  to  the  new 
territory.  The  greatest  crowd  was  at  Dubuque,  the  lead 
mines  here  being  the  great  attraction.  To  the  people  of  that 
day,  however,  the  crowd  was  immense.  Doctor  Holbrook,  in 
a  memorial  address  thirteen  years  later,  said:  "During  the  first 
few  days  of  that  month,  June,  1833,  several  hundred  whites, 
hitherto  restrained  by  government  troops,  rushed  across  the 

13 


14  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

river,  eager  to  seize  upon  the  rich  lead  mines  known  to  exist 
in  this  community;  and  so  great  was  the  tide  of  immigration, 
that  in  October  of  the  same  year,  the  population  of  the  place 
was  estimated  at  five  hundred." 

In  1828,  a  slender  youth  appeared  at  the  office  of  the  Home 
Missionary  Society,  saying:  "You  may  send  me  to  the  hardest 
place  you've  got."  Undoubtedly,  they  struck  it  right;  they 
sent  him  to  Galena,  Illinois.  However,  at  this  time.  Galena 
was  thought  to  be  the  coming  metropolis  of  the  West.  This 
slender  youth  was  Rev.  Aratus  Kent,  a  native  of  Connecticut, 
and  a  graduate  of  Yale  College  in  1816. 

In  a  communication  from  Galena,  Fever  River,  Illinois, 
June  19th,  1829,  Mr.  Kent  writes:  "By  the  kind  providence 
of  God,  I  was  kept  in  safety  amid  the  dangers  incident  to  the 
journey  of  two  thousand  miles,  and  after  a  quick  passage  of 
eighteen  and  one-half  days,  arrived  at  this  place  on  the  18th 
of  April,  and  felt  that  I  had  more  than  ordinary  occasion  for 
devout  thanksgiving  to  the  Preserver  of  men." 

The  Galena  missionary  could  not  confine  himself  to  one 
place.  The  great  destitution  all  about  constrained  him  to 
labor  in  all  directions.  We  find  him  at  Fort  Prairie  du  Chien 
and  down  at  Fort  Rock  Island,  and  oyer  at  Fort  Dearborn. 
From  Fort  Dearborn  he  wrote  in  1833,  "If  the  pier  now  com- 
mencing should  be  a  permanent  one,  and  the  harbor  become  a 
safe  one,  Chicago  will  undoubtedly  grow  as  rapidly  as  any 
other  western  village." 

Dubuque  could  not  fail  to  attract  the  Galena  missionary. 
It  was  his  sort  of  place,  "the  hardest  you've  got."  In  1833, 
he  wrote: 

I  must  spend  some  of  my  time  across  the  Mississippi,  for  the  opening 
of  the  country  usually  styled  the  "Dubuque's  Mines"  is  drawing  thither 
a  great  multitude  of  adventurers.  It  is  important  that  they  be  followed 
in  their  wanderings  with  the  voice  of  admonition,  lest  they  forget  the  Lord 
and  profane  His  Sabbaths. 

Julius  A.  Reed  says  Mr.  Kent  visited  Dubuque  in  mis- 


THE  PROSPECTORS,   1833-1837  15 

sionary  service  as  early  as  1831.  "A  more  irreligious  com- 
munity than  this  is  described  to  have  been,"  says  Doctor  Hol- 
brook,  "can  scarcely  be  conceived  of.  There  was  no  recog- 
nition of  the  Sabbath,  and  no  public  worship,  while  vice  of 
almost  every  kind  was  openly  practised." 

From  this  same  authority  we  have  it  that  in  this  year,  1833, 
a  gentleman  of  Dubuque,  anxious  to  procure  a  Bible,  searched 
the  town  in  vain  for  one,  and  actually  went  to  Galena  on 
purpose  to  obtain  it.  Not  having  the  means  then  to  pay  for 
it,  Mr.  Kent  furnished  him  with  one,  for  which  he  paid  about 
two  years  later. 

But,  by  the  next  year,  1834,  things  were  a  little  better. 
"Three  or  four  families,  Presbyterians  and  Methodists  were 
added  to  the  population,  and  a  weekly  prayer-meeting  was 
estabhshed.  A  Methodist  circuit  preacher  commenced  hold- 
ing meetings  once  in  four  weeks,  and  Mr.  Kent,  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church  in  Galena  also  preached  here  occasionally. 
In  the  course  of  the  season,  a  log  building  was  erected,  which 
served  for  holding  rehgious  services  and  other  public  meetings, 
and  for  a  court-house,  for  several  years."  Just  how  much 
work  Mr.  Kent  did  on  this  side  of  the  river  is  not  evident.  His 
hands  were  very  full,  and  the  river  itself  was  a  serious  barrier. 
His  reports  in  the  Home  Missionary  indicate  that  he  did  what 
he  could  for  the  pioneer  communities  that  were  at  all  within 
his  reach  west  of  the  river.  In  the  September  issue  of  the 
Home  Missionary  in  1836,  he  wrote : 

On  the  last  Sabbath  in  June,  I  went  to  Belleview,  a  little  village  scarcely 
six  months  old,  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  twelve  miles  below 
Galena.  The  back  country  is  settling  rapidly  by  agriculturists.  I  had  a 
large  congregation,  most  of  whom  had  been  there  but  a  few  weeks.  They 
were  the  first  sermons  ever  heard  in  that  place.  I  suggested  a  Sabbath 
school;  three  apparently  efficient  teachers  volunteered.  I  proposed,  if 
they  would  raise  $5.00,  I  would  furnish  $10.00  worth  of  books;  and  they 
immediately  collected  $11.50  and  paid  it  over,  and  I  have  forwarded  a 
hbrary.  They  urged  me  to  come  again.  But  there  are  six  or  eight  places 
on  this  side,  equally  important,  that  I  have  not  visited  for  many  months. 


16  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

There  are  twenty  places  around  me  where  a  Sabbath  school  of  twenty  or 
twenty-five  scholars  might  be  secured,  f  one  p'.ous  family  would  come  and 
settle  down  in  each  neighborhood,  and  take  hold  of  this  work;  but  for  want 
of  them,  these  children  are  growing  up  ji  ignorance. 

The  few  glimpses  we  have  of  Mr.  Kent  reveal  the  spirit  of 
the  man,  his  evangelistic  zeal,  and  the  wide-spread  destitution 
of  the  great  field  in  which  he  labored  for  forty  years. 

Our  second  prospector  was  an  Indian,  John  Metoxen  by 
name,  educated  in  the  Moravian  school  at  Bethlehem,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  now,  in  1834,  chief  and  preacher  among  the  Stock- 
bridge  Indians  in  the  vicinity  of  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin.  These 
Indians  were  a  remnant  of  the  tribe  located  at  Stockbridge, 
Massachusetts,  where  a  church  had  been  organized,  through 
the  missionary  labors  of  David  Brainerd  and  Jonathan 
Edwards  and  others,  in  1785. 

The  white  man's  need  and  greed  took  no  more  account  of  a 
Christian  Indian  than  of  this  savage  neighbor,  and  the  Stock- 
bridge  people,  too,  were  obliged  to  set  their  faces  toward  the 
setting  sun.  They  started  westward  in  1818,  stopped  for  a 
while  in  Indiana,  and  reached  Wisconsin  in  1822,  preserving 
in  all  their  wanderings  their  Christian  faith  and  the  ordinances 
of  the  Christian  rehgion.  Now  in  1834  they  were  moved  with 
concern  and  pity  for  their  fellows  recently  moved  to  the  west 
bank  of  the  Mississippi.  They  sent  a  deputation,  headed 
by  their  pastor  John  Metoxen,  and  Cutting  Marsh  their  mis- 
sionary, to  their  Iowa  brethren,  to  persuade  them  if  possible, 
to  give  up  their  savage  life,  to  receive  the  missionary  and 
teacher,  and  to  adopt  the  ways  of  civilization.  They  first 
visited  Black  Hawk  in  his  lodge,  a  little  above  the  mouth  of 
the  Iowa  River.  His  reply  was,  "George  Davenport  told  me 
not  to  have  anything  to  do  with  the  missionaries,  for  they 
would  make  the  Indians  worse."  Whether  he  reported  the 
trader  correctly  is  more  than  doubtful. 

Missionary  Marsh  reported  Keokuk's  village  located  on  the 
east  bank  of  the  Iowa  River,  about  twelve  miles  from  its 


THE   PROSPECTORS,    1833-1837  17 

mouth,  and  containing  about  fifty  lodges  with  four  hun- 
dred people,  as  the  chief  village  of  the  tribe.  Keokuk 
was  unwilling  to  listen  to  any  of  the  suggestions  of  the 
deputation.  He  did  not  want  to  have  anything  to  do  with 
the  white  man's  religion.  At  one  time  he  wanted  one  of 
his  sons  to  be  educated  as  an  interpreter,  but  later  changed 
his  mind. 

Wapello,  located  ten  miles  further  up  the  river,  had  no  use 
for  schools  or  missionaries. 

Powesheik,  on  the  Cedar,  ten  miles  from  its  mouth,  said  he 
would  like  to  have  two  or  three  of  his  young  men  educated  for 
interpreters,  but  he  did  not  want  schools  for  he  wanted  to  have 
his  young  men  warriors.  As  to  farming,  he  said  they  "could 
use  the  hoe  but  did  not  want  the  plow;  they  chose  rather  to 
hunt  for  a  living  than  to  cultivate  the  soil."  "The  Great 
Spirit,"  he  said,  "made  us  to  fight  and  kill  one  another  when 
we  have  a  mind  to.  We  do  not  want  to  learn;  we  want  to 
kill  the  Sioux." 

The  deputation  also  visited  Appanoose,  over  on  the  Des 
Moines  River,  at  his  village,  "Au-tum-way"  (Ottumwa).  He 
expressed  a  desire  that  something  should  be  done  for  his 
people,  his  missionary  emotions  being  strongest,  however, 
when  he  was  drunk,  and  gave  so  much  encouragement  that 
Mr.  Marsh  considered  "this  the  most  eligible  place  they  found 
amongst  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  for  a  missionary  establishment. 
But  they  could  not  persuade  the  chief  to  take  any  practical 
steps  toward  the  establishment  of  a  mission,  and  the  mis- 
sionary concludes  his  report  with  the  statement:  "The  Sacs 
and  Foxes  are  strongly  attached  to  their  superstitions;  I  know 
of  no  Indians  so  much  so,  and  they  guard  with  jealous  care 
against  any  change." 

Col.  William  Davenport  of  Ft.  Armstrong,  joined  wnth 
the  deputation  in  urging  the  Indians  to  welcome  missionaries 
and  teachers,  but  they  were  united  and  persisted  in  their  un- 
willingness to  do  so ;  and  so  begins  and  ends  the  efforts  of  Con- 

3 


18  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

gregationalism  for  the  Christianization  and  civilization  of  the 
Indians  of  Iowa. 

Another  fleeting  evangelist  of  early  Iowa,  and  prospector 
at  Dubuque,  was  Cyrus  L.  Watson.  He  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent,  born  in  York,  South  Carolina,  February,  1800; 
education  limited;  a  student  of  theology  under  Salmon  Gid- 
dings  of  St.  Louis;  licensed  to  preach  by  the  Missouri  Presby- 
tery; ordained  in  1829,  and  the  same  year  commissioned  by  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society  to  labor  at  Rushville, 
Illinois.  In  1834,  he  was  at  Dubuque  on  a  missionary  tour. 
In  a  communication,  published  in  "The  Home  Missionary," 
from  this  place  he  wrote:  " It  is  about  a  year  since  the  govern- 
ment gave  permission  to  work  these  mines.  The  first  cabin 
was  built  last  June,  and  now  it  (undoubtedly  he  means  the 
town,  not  the  cabin!),  contains  a  population  of  nearly  four 
hundred.  The  tide  of  immigration  is  setting  in  with  astonish- 
ing rapidity,  bearing  up  on  it  a  small  portion  of  piety,  and  a 
large  amount  of  vice." 

Mr.  Watson's  name  is  connected  with  one  of  the  great  events 
of  our  history,  as  he  is  the  first  of  our  missionaries  stationed 
in  this  territory.  His  commission  is  dated  December,  1835, 
and  the  place  is  designated:  "Dubuq's  Mines,  Missouri 
Territory."  Evidently  the  secretaries  of  the  Home  Missionary 
Society  were  not  omniscient  in  those  days,  for  this  was  then  a 
part  of  Michigan  Territory,  organized  by  an  act  of  Congress, 
June  28,  1834.  We  can  imagine  with  what  dehght  good 
Doctor  Badger  signed  that  first  commission  for  labor  west 
of  the  Mississippi  River.  Mr.  Watson  began  his  missionary 
pastorate  January  1,  1836. 

His  first  report  was  pubHshed  in  the  Home  Missionary  with 
these  headlines:  "The  Far  West,  from  Rev.  Cyrus  Watson, 
Dubuq's  Upper  Mississippi."     He  writes: 

I  began  my  public  labors  among  this  people,  on  the  first  evening  of  the 
New  Year,  and  have  preached  twice  every  alternate  Sabbath  since.  The 
only  place  in  the  village,  in  which  a  congregation  of  considerable  size  can 


THE  PROSPECTORS,   1833-1837  19 

be  accommodated,  is  a  log  schoolhouse.  This  I  occupy  alternately  with 
the  stationed  preacher  of  the  Methodist  denomination.  I  preach  in  some 
of  the  neighboring  villages  every  Sabbath,  when  not  employed  here,  and 
once  a  week  preach  an  evening  discourse  at  "The  Diggings"  in  the  vicinity. 
Our  place  of  worship  in  the  village  is  very  uncomfortable,  and  the  winter 
has  been  intensely  cold.  I  find  some  here  who  know  how  to  appreciate 
the  ministrations  of  the  gospel.  My  visits  are  cordially  welcomed,  and  my 
public  ministrations  well  received  by  the  scattered  sheep  of  all  portions  of 
Christ's  flock,  here  and  round  about.  Sectarian  strife  is  unknown.  This 
is  just  as  it  ought  to  be. 

Somewhat  different  in  tone  was  the  communication  of  a 
correspondent  of  the  New  York  Journal  of  Commerce. 
Writing  from  here  in  1836,  he  set  Dubuque  out  in  fine  shape. 
He  said:  "The  principal  amusement  of  the  people  seems  to 
be  playing  cards,  Sunday  and  all.  The  law  they  carry  in 
their  pockets,  and  are  ready  to  read  a  chapter  on  the  slightest 
provocation." 

In  May  of  this  year,  the  Dubuque  Visitor,  in  an  editorial 
said:  "Another  minister  is  wanted  here,  one  who  can  reason, 
preach,  sing,  and  enforce  the  fourth  commandment." 

In  this  same  year,  Rev.  Asa  Turner,  making  a  missionary 
tour  this  side  of  the  river,  headed  this  way  but  stopped  at  a 
point  eight  miles  north  of  Davenport,  and  turned  back.  He 
said:  "Dubuque  we  did  not  then  call  a  civilized  place.  True, 
there  were  some  half  breeds  and  some  whole  breeds  and  a  few 
miners,  but  it  wasn't  anything,  anyhow." 

Eliphalet  Price,  an  historian  of  Northeastern  Iowa,  gave 
Dubuque  the  honor  of  the  first  Iowa  "hanging  in  a  Christian- 
like manner";  of  the  first  murder  "rising  to  the  dignity  of 
public  attention";  of  the  first  elopement;  and  the  first  public 
horse- whipping  of  a  man  by  a  woman.  He  also  claimed  that 
here  the  first  flag  was  raised,  and  the  first  house  of  worship 
built. 

Mr.  Watson's  term  of  service  here  was  short.  He  organized 
no  church.  Doctor  Magoun,  in  his  book,  "Asa  Turner  and 
His  Times,"  quotes  some  unmentioned  authority,  as  saying, 


20  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

"He  moved  the  people  to  build  a  house  of  worship,  and  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  subsequent  prosperity  of  the  Presby- 
terian and  Methodist  churches."  I  doubt  very  much  the 
absolute  correctness  of  the  statement,  though  this  was  known 
to  be  Mr.  Watson's  own  opinion  of  the  results  of  his  work. 
Dr.  Ephraim  Adams  in  his  address  at  our  Home  Missionary 
Semi-centennial,  said:  "This  Mr.  Watson,  as  is  apparent, 
from  the  files  of  the  Home  Missionary,  was  a  noble,  fearless 
worker,  but  whether  he  ever  did  much  in  the  region  of 
Dubuque,  as  the  result  of  this  commission,  is  net  so  apparent." 

Doctor  Holbrook,  in  an  historical  sermon,  March  22,  1846, 
says:  "In  the  winter  of  1835-1836,  Mr.  Watson  labored  here 
about  three  months,  preaching  in  the  log  meeting-house  before 
referred  to,  alternately  with  the  Methodist  minister.  At  his 
instigation,  an  effort  was  commenced  for  building  a  Presby- 
terian house  of  worship.  A  considerable  sum  was  raised,  and 
the  corner  stone  was  laid  on  the  18th  day  of  July,  1836.  No 
church  was  formed,  however,  until  May,  1839."  At  the  laying 
of  the  corner  stone  laymen  officiated,  as  there  were  no  minis- 
ters in  the  town  to  conduct  the  services. 

Now  the  scene  shifts  to  southeastern  Iowa.  The  volume  of 
immigration  was  rapidly  increasing,  the  bulk  of  it  now  coming 
in  to  this  section  of  the  territory.  In  his  "A  Glimpse  of  Iowa" 
Mr.  J.  B.  Newhall  of  Burlington  says:  "The  writer  of  these 
pages,  frequently  having  occasion  to  traverse  the  great  thor- 
oughfares of  Illinois  and  Indiana,  in  the  years  1836-1837  the 
roads  would  be  literally  lined  with  the  long  blue  wagons  of  the 
emigrants  slowly  wending  their  way  over  the  broad  prairies; 
often  ten,  twenty,  and  thirty  wagons  in  company.  Ask  them, 
when  and  where  you  would,  their  destination,  the  answer 
was  the  'Black  Hawk  Purchase.'"  And  this  is  his  description 
of  a  family  "camped  for  the  night": 

The  old  lady  had  just  built  her  camp-fire,  and  was  busily  engaged  in  fry- 
ing prairie  chickens,  which  the  unerring  rifle  of  her  boy  had  brought  to  the 
ground.   One  of  the  girls  was  milking  a  brindle  cow,  and  that  tall  girl  yonder, 


THE   PROSPECTORS,   1833-1837  21 

with  swarthy  arms  and  j^ellow  sun-bonnet,  is  nailing  the  coffee-mill  on  the 
side  of  a  scrub  oak  which  the  Uttle  boy  had  "blazed"  out  with  his  hatchet. 
There  sits  the  old  man  on  a  log  quietly  shaving  himself  by  a  six-penny  look- 
ing glass,  which  he  has  tacked  to  a  neighboring  tree.  And  yonder  old 
decrepit  man,  sitting  on  the  low  rush  bottomed  chair  is  the  aged  grandsire 
of  all;  better  that  his  bones  be  left  by  the  wayside  than  that  he  be  left  be'  ind 
among  strangers.  These  are  scenes  we  frequently  witness  in  the  "far  west. " 
This  is  "emigrating."  'Tis  not  going  away  from  home;  the  home  was  there, 
that  night,  with  the  settlers  on  "Camp  Creek,"  under  the  broad  canopy  of 
heaven  by  the  gurgling  brook,  where  the  cattle  browsed,  the  dogs  barked, 
and  the  children  quietly  slumbered. 

Julius  A.  Reed  was,  in  a  way,  one  of  the  earliest  of  the 
prospectors,  for  as  early  as  May  of  1833,  he  had  a  prophetic 
glimpse  of  the  promised  land,  his  point  of  observation  Nauvoo, 
then  called  Commerce,  Illinois.  His  record  of  the  event  was 
as  follows:  "The  town  site,  so  far  as  it  was  not  covered  by  a 
cornfield,  was  in  a  state  of  nature.  I  recollect  only  one  house. 
Across  the  river  was  Iowa,  then  a  part  of  Wisconsin.  I  could 
see  the  prairie  where  Montrose  now  stands,  and  the  bluff 
beyond,  with  a  tall  tree  here  and  there  upon  its  brow.  The 
view  was  beautiful,  but,  I  reflected  that  the  vast  region  be- 
tween me  and  the  Pacific  Ocean  was  inhabited  only  by  sav- 
ages.    All  beyond  the  river  seemed  buried  in  profound  sleep." 

Other  early  prospectors  were  Asa  Turner  and  W.  M.  Kirby, 
both  of  the  famous  Yale  Band  of  Illinois.  Mr.  Turner  must 
have  had  glimpses  of  Iowa  as  early  as  1831,  on  his  trip  to 
Galena.  In  April  of  1836,  they  were  out  on  a  missionary  tour 
in  the  Black  Hawk  Purchase.  They  crossed  the  river  at  Ft. 
Madison,  and  here  Mr.  Turner  preached  the  "first  Congre- 
gational sermon  ever  preached  in  Iowa."  That  is,  it  would 
have  been  a  Congregational  sermon,  only  that  the  preacher 
was  still  a  Presbyterian.  He  did  not  unite  with  the  Associa- 
tion until  later  in  the  year.  Before  this  time,  however,  he 
had  decided  to  make  the  change. 

Their  next  point  was  Farmington.  Julius  A.  Reed  sum- 
marized the  trip  as  follows: 


22  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

They  went  to  Farmington  by  way  of  West  Point.  There  was  at  that 
time,  scarcely  any  travel  from  the  Mississippi  across  the  country  to  the 
Des  Moines.  Two  years  later,  the  settlers  could  tell  you  that  a  certain 
dim  track  was  the  territorial  road  to  Farmington,  but  could  tell  you  noth- 
ing about  it  beyond  their  own  neighborhood.  Of  course,  they  lost  their 
way,  and  at  nightfall  found  themselves  with  no  settlement  in  sight  and  the 
road  plunging  into  a  wide  prairie,  where,  even  ten  years  later,  there  was  no 
house  for  ten  miles.  Providentially  they  saw  a  single  wagon  track  turning 
into  the  grass  in  the  direction  of  a  point  of  timber.  This  track  they  followed 
while  they  could  see  it,  and  afterward  pushed  their  way  at  a  gallop  in  the 
same  direction.  Some  animal  sprang  up  almost  beneath  their  horses' 
feet;  they  hoped  it  was  a  calf,  probably  it  was  a  wolf,  but  soon  they  heard 
the  barking  of  a  dog  which  led  them  to  the  camp  of  a  Mr.  Green,  who  was 
living  with  his  family  in  his  wagon  and  an  open  shed,  while  preparing  a 
better  shelter.  This  was  at  the  end  of  the  timber  back  of  Bonaparte. 
The  corn  of  which  their  bread  was  made  was  on  the  cob  at  their  arrival. 
After  preaching  at  Farmington,  they  passed  on  their  way  to  Burlington, 
a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  Denmark,  past  Mr.  Conard's  residence,  where  the 
roads  from  Denmark  to  Ft.  Madison  and  from  Burlington  to  West  Point 
crossed  each  other.  Mr.  Turner  may  have  admired  the  clump  of  hickories 
which  stood  there,  but  that  naked,  uninhabitable  prairie  was  forgotten  as 
soon  as  it  was  passed;  but  with  what  an  earnest  gaze  would  he  have  scanned 
it,  had  he  foreknown  that  he  was  there  to  do  his  Mfe's  work,  and  love  it 
better  than  any  other  place  on  earth. 

These  brethren  preached  at  Burlington  and  Yellow  Springs,  and  passed 
through  Bloomington,  now  Muscatine,  and  Davenport  up  to  J.  B.  Chamber- 
lain's on  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  eight  miles  above  Davenport  at  the 
mouth  of  Crow  Creek,  where  Mr.  Turner  preached  the  second  Protestant 
sermon  preached  in  Scott  coimty. 

"Muscatine,"  says  Mr.  Turner,  "was  disfigured  by  one  log 
cabin."  "All  the  West  lay  spread  out  just  as  the  Lord  had 
made  it  in  all  its  primitive  beauty." 

Of  the  Davenport  of  that  day,  this  is  his  picture : 

In  the  center  of  what  is  now  the  town  was  a  cornfield.  A  cabin  had 
grown  up  to  the  eaves,  but  was  minus  roof  and  gable  ends.  Le  Claire's 
Cottage  stood  where  his  house  does  now.  Some  two  thousand  Indians 
were  encamped  on  the  ground  to  receive  their  pensions  from  Rock  Island. 
As  we  came  from  the  south  into  the  town,  we  met  a  number  of  young  war- 
riors trying  the  speed  of  their  Iowa  Morgans.  But  our  rushes  and  cotton- 
wood  bark  during  the  winter  had  not  put  energy  enough  into  their  muscles 
to  make  their  speed  dangerous. 


THE  PROSPECTORS,   1833-1837  23 

Returning  from  the  tour  Mr.  Turner  made  report: 

As  to  the  country,  I  see  but  one  objection.  It  is  so  beautiful  that  there 
might  be  an  unwillingness  to  exchange  it  for  the  paradise  above.  The  soil 
is  simple  to  the  Military  Tract  (in  Illinois) — as  a  whole  better.  Prairies 
generally  dry  and  rolling,  streams  clear;  of  course  more  healthy  than  they 
generaMy  are  in  this  state,  better  supplied  w-ith  timber,  water  power,  coal, 
etc.  Several  places  are  as  densely  settled  as  Morgan  County.  The  settlers 
generally  are  of  much  better  character  than  usually  falls  to  the  lot  of  a  new 
country.  For  enterprise,  intelligence  and  industry,  they  far  surpass  those 
who  first  settled  Illinois.  I  was  surprised  to  find  so  many  comforts,  so 
good  cabins,  so  large  fields,  the  growth  of  two  years;  fields  of  corn  from  fifty 
to  one  hundred  acres,  well  fenced. 

This  same  year,  1836,  the  Haystack  settlement  had  its  be- 
ginning. But  every  beginning  has  a  still  earlier  date.  The 
real  beginning  of  Denmark  was  a  lecture  delivered  by  Asa 
Turner  in  New  Ipswich,  New  Hampshire,  in  1832,  on  the  ad- 
vantages offered  to  farmers  by  the  prairies  of  Illinois,  and  the 
importance  of  their  being  settled  by  intelligent  and  Christian 
people!  William  Brown  and  Lewis  Epps  were  deeply  in- 
terested, and,  at  length  resolved  to  try  their  fortunes  in  the 
West. 

They  with  Timothy  Fox  and  Curtis  Shedd,  with  their  fami- 
lies, made  a  short  stop  at  Quincy,  but,  later  in  the  year  they 
were  out  in  the  Black  Hawk  Purchase.  For  $200.00  they  se- 
cured a  squatter's  claim,  "sufficient  for  four  farms,  and  a  good 
deal  to  spare,  with  a  small  field  fenced  and  a  log  cabin."  This 
cabin  was  16  x  18,  with  two  haK  windows,  a  puncheon  floor, 
a  clay  hearth  and  a  sod  chimney,  said  to  have  been  built  top 
downward,  as  that  was  the  end  which  discharged  a  good  por- 
tion of  the  smoke.  In  this  one  cabin  were  four  families,  num- 
bering eighteen  persons.  Even  here  the  latch -string  was  always 
out  to  neighbors  and  to  strangers. 

These  were  not  the  first  in  the  neighborhood.  Timothy 
Fox  had  a  brother  who  was  building  a  mill  at  Augusta  on  the 
Skunk  river.  This  was  one  of  the  circumstances  leading  these 
families  to  this  region.     John  0.  Smith,  of  North    Carolina, 


24  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

taking  up  a  claim  in  April  1835,  was  the  earliest  inhabitant  at 
Denmark.  He  was  "sorry  when  he  heard  that  the  Yankees 
were  coming."  The  Boston  Recorder  in  1867,  speaking  of  the 
feeling  of  a  certain  portion  of  the  Western  people  toward  New 
Englanders  says: 

Western  men  and  society  strictly  speaking,  was  largely  of  Southern  origin. 
They  are  full  of  prejudice  against  Yankees.  By  such  elements  were  the 
people  of  Denmark  surrounded.  They  called  Denmark  in  derision,  a 
"Yankee  Heaven."  Their  neat,  painted  houses  with  charming  shaded 
yards  in  front,  and  surrounded  by  neatly  trimmed  hedges,  their  church  and 
academy,  and  all  the  New  England  ways  and  works,  excited  envy  and  even 
alarm.  As  a  veritable  illustration  of  this  fact,  on  the  advent  of  the  Yankees, 
a  man  of  Southern  origin,  who  had  "squatted"  near  by,  became  greatly 
disturbed,  and  declared  he  would  sell  out  and  leave  or  he  would  be  cheated 
out  of  everything.  While  in  this  frame  of  mind,  he  chanced  to  call  upon 
one  of  his  new  neighbors  at  their  tea  hour.  He  was  treated  kindly  and 
asked  to  the  table.  For  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  now  saw  a  candle  and 
a  mince  pie.  On  his  return  to  his  rail-pen  home,  he  declared  to  his  aston- 
ished spouse  that  he  "would  be  consarned  if  he  would  not  have  some  of 
them  Yankee  fixings."  He  did  not  sell  out,  and  when  soon  afterwards, 
he  was  burned  out,  and  the  Yankees  put  him  up  a  new  house,  he  concluded 
it  was  safe  to  stay  among  them. 

All  the  first  families  of  the  Denmark  colony  were  pious 
people.  In  their  cabin  homes  from  the  very  first,  they  erected 
altars  to  the  Lord,  and  gathered  every  Sabbath  for  public 
worship.  When  they  arrived  there  was  not  a  Congregational 
or  Presbyterian  minister  in  Iowa,  nor,  save  missionaries  of 
the  American  Board  among  the  Indians  in  Minnesota  and 
Oregon,  was  there  one  west  of  the  Mississippi.  The  popula- 
tion of  the  territory  was  about  ten  thousand  five  hundred. 
Dubuque  had  one  thousand  inhabitants;  Davenport  had  no 
existence;  Keokuk  was  a  hamlet  of  a  few  whites  and  half- 
breeds.  There  was  not  a  public  bridge  with  a  ten-foot  span 
in  all  the  land.  The  first  to  minister  to  the  Denmark  people, 
with  any  degree  of  regularity,  was  Rev.  William  Apthorp, 
born  at  Quincy,  Massachusetts,  graduate  of  Yale,  a  divinity 
student  at  Andover  and  Princeton,  and  commissioned  by  the 


THE  PROSPECTORS,   1833-1837  25 

Home  Missionary  Society  in  July  1836.  Fort  Madison  was  a 
part  of  his  field,  although  for  a  time  he  resided  at  Franklin 
(now  La  Harpe),  Illinois.  Later  in  the  year,  he  located  near 
Fort  Madison.  In  1837  and  a  part  of  1838,  he  preached  a 
part  of  the  time  at  the  "Big  Haystack"  as  Denmark  was  then 
called.  He  was  the  first  resident  Congregational  minister  in 
Iowa.  In  1838  he  became  a  teacher  in  the  mission  Institute 
at  Quincy.     Later  he  returned  to  Iowa. 

For  the  readers  of  to-day  we  copy  from  Doctor  Magoun's 
book  a  graphic  picture  of  the  Denmark  of  1837,  by  a  girl  of 
that  place. 

As  we  drew  near  Burlington,  in  front  of  a  little  hut  on  the  river  bank, 
sat  a  girl  and  a  lad — most  pitiable  looking  objects,  uncared  for,  hollow- 
eyed,  sallow-faced.  They  had  crawled  out  into  the  warm  sun  with  chatter- 
ing teeth  to  see  the  boat  pass.  To  mother's  inquiries,  the  captain  said: 
"If  you've  never  seen  that  kind  of  sickness  I  reckon  you  must  be  a  Yankee; 
that's  the  ague.  I'm  feared  you'll  see  plenty  of  it  if  you  stay  long  in  these 
parts.  They  call  it  here  the  swamp  devil,  and  it  will  take  the  roses  out  of 
the  cheeks  of  those  plump  little  ones  of  yours  mighty  quick.  Cure  it?  No, 
madam.  No  cure  for  it;  have  to  wear  it  out.  I  had  it  a  year  when  I  first 
went  on  the  river." 

This  decided  them  not  to  locate  near  the  river. 

We  stopped  in  a  cabin  while  father  "prospected."  He  heard  of  a  Yankee 
settlement  on  a  prairie  back  from  the  river.  Hastening  to  it,  he  found 
two  small  cabins — two  families  living  in  one  (Messrs.  Epps'  and  Shedd's) 
and  Mr.  Fox's  in  the  other.  Also,  a  mile  to  the  west,  in  a  little  mite  of  a 
house  lived  a  Mr.  Brown.  They  divided  with  us  their  claim,  and  helped 
get  the  logs  for  our  house.  The  fortnight  it  was  being  built,  we  lived  in  a 
cabin  near  Moflfatt's  Mill  by  the  river;  father,  our  brother  of  sixteen,  and  a 
young  man  who  came  with  us  were  made  welcome  in  the  cabin  of  Messrs. 
Epps,  Shedd,  Hill  and  Houston.  That  they  were  all  in  the  body  we  know, 
but  how  they  all  lived  there  I  cannot  tell,  only  that  those  little  pioneer 
cabins  had  extensive  possibilities,  as  also  did  the  heads  and  hearts  of  their 
occupants.  Every  night  mother  suffered  from  fear  of  being  scalped  by  the 
Indians,  not  knowing  where  they  were  prowling  about.  But  she  didn't 
let  us  know  it  at  that  time.  Wolves  we  sometimes  saw  in  daytime,  and 
often  heard  them  sniffing  around  the  door  at  night,  and  setting  up  blood- 
curdling howls.     Father  had  a  massive  (sea)  chest;  it  took  the  united 


^6  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

strength  of  our  family  to  drag  it  before  the  door  at  night,  and  pile  the 
others  on  top.     Then  we  felt  secure  from  Indians  and  wolves. 

It  somewhat  dampened  our  ardor  when  we  saw  our  mite  of  a  cabin 
standing  on  the  bare  prairie  alone,  and  to  our  eager  inquiries  where  the 
bed  and  table  and  this  and  that  could  be  put,  mother's  cheerful  answer 
would  be,  "  Oh,  we  will  find  a  place,  or  make  one." 

Yet  I  overheard  her  teU  Mrs.  Shedd  that  when  she  came  to  that  dark 
speck  of  a  cabin  on  the  prairie,  with  such  desolate  dreariness  all  around,  it 
looked  so  unlike  home,  it  seemed  as  if  all  she  had  given  up  rushed  through 
her  mind  with  crushing  force. 

"  Being  scalped  by  the  Indians  "  was  a  common  Jiorrid  dream 
of  early  Denmark.  The  Sacs  and  Foxes  quitted  the  ceded 
district  with  a  good  degree  of  promptness,  but  their  villages 
and  lodges  were  just  beyond  the  borders.  To  the  early  settlers 
the  Indian  was  a  very  familiar  object,  and  they  were  always 
conscious  that  the  former  possessors  of  the  soil  were  not  far 
away.  One  of  the  daughters  of  the  Denmark  parsonage 
writes:  "In  those  days,  we  constantly  exercised  an  anxious 
vigilance  towards  the  west  for  the  Indians.  They  had  made 
a  treaty,  but  we  knew  of  their  treacherous  atrocities.  Large 
companies  of  them  often  passed  to  Burlington  from  their 
camping  ground  a  little  west  of  us,  and  would  stop  for  some- 
thing to  eat,  asking  first  for  doughnuts  and  cow's  grease 
(butter) . 

"Mrs.  Epps  first  gave  Black  Hawk  and  a  few  of  his  braves 
some  doughnuts;  they  learned  the  word  and  always  asked  for 
them.  They  were  always  hungry,  and  at  first,  though  their 
capacious  stomachs  seemed  limitless,  and  everything  cooked 
in  the  house  quickly  disappeared,  mother  didn't  dare  refuse 
them.  It  will  not  take  a  very  extravagant  stretch  of  imagi- 
nation now  to  hear  their  stealthy  steps  coming  through  the 
porch  into  our  house,  especially  on  their  return  from  Burling- 
ton after  being  supplied  with  fire-water." 

In  1833,  Julius  A.  Reed  had  a  gUmpse  of  Iowa.  In  January 
of  1837  he  was  on  this  side  of  the  river  prospecting  for  the 
Kingdom,  and  preparing  himself  for  a  larger  ministry  here 
later  on.     His  account  was  as  follows : 


THE   PROSPECTORS,    1833-1837  27 

I  crossed  the  river  on  the  ice  from  Warsaw  to  Keokuk,  and  preached  the 
first  sermon  ever  preached  in  the  place  by  a  Congregational  minister,  and 
I  think  by  any  minister.  I  preached  in  a  building  afterwards  known  as  the 
Rat  Row.  At  that  time  there  were  scarcely  more  than  a  half  dozen  build- 
ings in  the  place,  of  which  the  Rat  Row  was  the  best.  The  inhabitants 
were  chiefly  river  men,  and  were  rough.  Some  of  my  friends  thought  it 
hazardous  for  me  to  attempt  to  preach  there,  but  I  could  not  ask  for  better 
treatment  than  I  received.  I  recollect  a  man  who  was  prostrated  by  rheu- 
matism and  was  not  expected  to  live.  He  had  kept  an  account  of  the  liquor 
he  had  drunk,  and  said  it  amounted  to  twenty-seven  barrels.  The  few 
houses  in  the  place  were  scattered  along  the  river,  and  brush  covered  the 
sides  of  the  bluff  nearly  to  the  water.  I  saw  an  Indian  hunting  within 
forty  rods  of  the  landing. 

Later  this  same  year  Mr.  Reed  is  this  side  of  the  river  again. 
Of  this  he  said: 

My  first  visit  to  Denmark  was  in  November,  1837.  I  was  already  in  my 
saddle  when  I  heard  that  Lovejoy  had  been  murdered  at  Alton.  It  meant 
something  in  those  days  to  be  an  anti-slavery  man  in  a  free  state.  I  found 
at  Denmark  Messrs.  Epps  and  Shedd  occupying  a  cabin  jointly.  Deacon 
Fox  had  built  two  cabins  on  his  farm,  one  of  which  was  occupied  by  William 
Brown,  with  whom  I  spent  the  night.  The  chimney  smoked  intolerably, 
and  Mrs.  Brown  was  shedding  tears;  whether  it  was  because  of  home- 
sickness or  the  smoke  I  did  not  know,  but  I  knew  it  was  not  homesick- 
ness that  made  me  weep  with  her.  The  improvements  at  that  time  were 
a  few  very  ordinary  log  cabins,  each  with  a  field  of  a  few  acres,  enclosed 
with  a  worm  fence.  Comforts  and  conveniences  were  all  in  the  future. 
Soon  after,  Deacon  Fox,  in  behalf  of  these  people,  requested  me  to  ar- 
range with  Mr.  Turner  to  organize  a  church  at  Denmark. 

The  story  of  the  organization  belongs  to  another  chapter. 


/ 


Chapter  III 
THE  PATRIARCHS,  1838-1842 

Those  named  as  prospectors,  who,  up  to  this  time,  had 
simply  touched  the  territory  and  its  embryonic  institutions, 
are  Aratus  Kent,  Cyrus  L.  Watson,  Julius  A.  Reed,  Asa  Turner, 
William  Kirby,  and  William  Apthorp.  Two  of  these  are  now 
to  be  classed  among  the  Patriarchs  who  came  to  stay,  and  who 
above  all  others,  helped  to  lay  permanently  and  well  the 
foundations  of  our  institutions. 

The  first  of  the  Patriarchs,  in  time  and  in  effectiveness,  is 
Asa  Turner.  Of  his  ancestry,  his  birth  at  Templeton,  Massa- 
chusetts, the  incidents  of  his  childhood,  his  Unitarian  associa- 
tions, his  struggles  with  doubt,  his  conversion,  his  experiences 
as  a  district  school  teacher,  as  a  student  at  Yale  College  and 
Divinity  School, — from  the  last  named  of  which  he  graduated 
in  1829, — of  his  courtship,  and  marriage  and  call  to  the  West, 
etc.,  etc.,  there  is  no  occasion  to  speak  at  length  in  this  narra- 
tion, for  they  may  all  be  found  in  detail  in  "Asa  Turner  and 
his  Times,"  by  Dr.  G.  F.  Magoun. 

No  reader  of  this  book  needs  to  be  informed  that  Mr. 
Turner  was  one  of  the  famous  Yale  Band  of  Illinois.  "One 
event,"  says  Mr.  Turner  in  his  autobiography,  "occurred 
that  decided  my  future  life.  A  band  of  students  was  formed 
for  the  purpose  of  going  to  Illinois  and  planting  the  institu- 
tions of  learning  and  the  gospel.  I  was  invited  to  join  them. 
I  did  so.  J.  M.  Ellis,  who  had  been  sent  by  the  American 
Home  Missionary  Society,  was  trying  to  plant  an  institution 
in  Jacksonville.  Correspondence  with  him  led  us  to  unite 
our  efforts  with  his.     The  result  was  Illinois  College.     This 

28 


0.  EMERSON 


J.  A.  REED 


J.  C.  HOLBROOK 


ASA  TURNER 


THE  PATRIARCHS 


R.  GAYLORD 


THE  PATRIARCHS,   1838-1842  29 

shaped  the  whole  course  of  my  life  after.  The  last  year  in  the 
Seminary  was  taken  up  in  this  effort,  and  especially  in  raising 
means  to  plant  the  college." 

There  was  a  little  interim  between  graduation  and  starting 
West.  Mr.  Turner  explains:  "In  the  spring  of  1830,  through 
the  invitation  of  George  Beecher,  I  went  to  Boston  to  study 
with  his  father,  and  there  likewise  occurred  an  event  which 
has  affected  my  whole  life.  I  found  one  who  was  willing  to 
cast  in  her  lot  with  me  in  going  to  the  'unknown  land,'  for 
indeed  it  was  less  known  than  India  at  that  time.  She  was  in 
Boston  teaching.  I  hardly  knew  why  I  went  there;  but  results 
revealed  why.     Her  name  was  Martha  Bull." 

Mr.  Turner  was  a  prompt  young  man.  He  went  to  Boston 
in  the  spring  of  1830;  the  wedding  occurred  August  31st  of 
the  same  year.  September  6,  he  was  ordained  at  New  Haven; 
September  14,  they  started  West,  nine  days  less  than  two 
months  being  consumed  in  the  journey,  and  arrived  at 
Quincy,  November  5.  At  his  first  service,  he  said:  "Fourteen 
condescended  to  be  my  hearers."  December  1,  a  church  was 
organized  with  fourteen  charter  members,  Presbyterian,  of 
course.  The  grant  from  the  Home  Missionary  Society  for 
the  first  year  was  four  hundred  dollars,  and  half  of  this  was 
spent  in  paying  debts  back  East,  and  freight  on  household 
goods. 

Of  course,  Mr.  Turner  did  not  confine  his  labors  to  Quincy. 
Opportunities  and  destitutions  on  every  hand  called  him  out 
to  missionary  labors  in  many  fields.  "My  field  of  labor,"  he 
said,  "is  as  boundless  as  the  eye  can  see — a  territory  greater 
than  that  promised  to  Abraham,  more  abundant  in  its  pro- 
ductions, and,  I  fear,  almost  as  destitute  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  true  God."  One  year  he  was  out  of  his  own  pulpit  twenty 
Sundays  preaching  at  protracted  meetings  and  in  places 
destitute  of  religious  services.  "Our  church,"  he  said,  "are 
willing  that  I  should  go  when  I  deem  it  my  duty,  and  I  think 
the  Lord  blesses  them  more  on  this  account."     Twice  at  least, 


30  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

his  missionary  tours  led  him  as  far  North  as  Galena,  and  once, 
as  we  have  seen,  in  1836,  he  made  a  prospecting  missionary 
tour  in  Iowa.  Ever  after  this,  his  eyes  and  heart  were  turned 
this  way. 

Eighteen  hundred  and  thirty-eight  is  a  memorable  year  in  our 
history.  Two  great  events  were  the  organization  of  the  Den- 
mark Church,  and  the  coming  of  Mr.  Turner  to  Iowa.  Early  in 
the  spring  of  this  year  Mr.  Apthorp  wrote  from  Fort  Madison: 

A  church  is  to  be  organized  as  soon  as  ministerial  help  can  be  obtained. 
The  ministers  who  were  appointed  to  organize  the  churches  in  this  terri- 
tory did  not  come  on  account  of  death  in  the  family  of  one  of  them.  At 
Denmark,  a  church  is  to  be  organized,  with  the  leave  of  Providence,  the 
last  Sabbath  in  Maj^  with  the  help  of  Brother  Turner  from  Quincy.  This 
would  have  been  done  in  the  fall,  but  for  Mr.  Turner's  being  prevented 
from  coming  at  the  appointed  time.  They  have  always  had  a  Bible  class 
among  themselves,  and  this  spring  a  Sabbath  school  for  the  younger  por- 
tion will  be  commenced.  They  have  raised  a  frame  for  a  meeting  and 
school-house,  but  will  not  have  it  covered  till  some  time  this  spring.  The 
country  on  this  side  of  the  river  is  rapidly  filling  up.  There  are  many  towns 
growing  up  within  a  small  circuit.  Burlington,  twenty  miles  up  the  river, 
the  seat  of  territorial  government,  is  an  important  place. 

As  intimated  in  the  above  quotation,  the  Denmark  people 
were  ready  for  the  organization  of  their  church  in  the  fall  of 
1837,  and  had  invited  Mr.  Turner  and  Julius  A.  Reed,  to  assist 
in  the  organization,  but  one  thing  and  another  prevented  these 
brethren  from  making  the  journey  until  it  became  so  late  that 
they  feared  to  put  the  Mississippi  between  them  and  their 
homes,  the  ice  becoming  too  thick  for  a  ferry,  and  too  thin  for 
a  bridge.  In  this  condition,  people  were  often  detained  for 
days  both  in  the  fall  and  in  the  spring,  the  seasons  of  the  freez- 
ing and  the  thawdng  of  the  river.  Early  in  May  of  1838,  the 
brethren  were  ready  for  the  service. 

"By  invitation  from  the  people,"  says  Mr.  Reed,  "Brother 
Turner  and  myself  visited  Denmark  for  the  purpose  of  organ- 
izing a  church,  reaching  the  place  May  1,  1838.  We  spent  a 
night  on  our  way  at  Fort  Madison,  where  the  first  Presby- 


THE   PATRIARCHS,   1838-1842  31 

terian  church  in  the  state  was  organized  on  the  26th  of  March 
preceding,  by  Rev.  R.  K.  McCoy,  of  Clayton,  Ilhnois.  Brother 
Turner  preached  from  a  text  which  occurred  to  him  that  day 
while  we  were  crossing  a  large  prairie." 

Father  Turner's  account  of  the  organization  is  as  follows: 

Such  as  wished  to  enter  into  a  covenant  with  each  other  and  with  God 
as  a  church  of  Christ,  related  their  Christian  experience,  the  ground  of 
their  hope,  and  their  motives  in  wishing  to  constitute  themselves  a  branch 
of  Christ's  visible  Church.  The  examination  was  regarded  as  satisfactory. 
Accordingly,  May  5,  1838,  thirty-two  individuals  assented  to  the  Articles 
of  Faith,  and  covenanted  with  one  another  to  serve  the  Lord.  The  day 
was  pleasant,  and  the  occasion  one  of  great  interest  to  the  little  immigrant 
band.  They  were  the  first  to  unfurl  that  banner  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Mississippi  which  more  than  Wo  hundred  years  before  their  fathers  un- 
furled over  the  Plymouth  Rock;  the  first  to  profess  those  doctrines  and 
embrace  that  church  polity  beyond  the  "Father  of  Waters,"  which  has 
blessed  New  England  from  generation  to  generation.  The  infant  church 
stood  alone  on  the  outskirts  of  civilization,  farther  west  than  any  other 
that  bore  the  family  name,  cherishing  the  hope  that  their  doctrines  and 
poUty  might  roll  west  with  the  wave  of  emigration. 

The  shanty  sanctuary  in  which  the  organization  took  place, 
was  20  X  24.  Two  days  before  the  organization  it  had  neither 
door,  window,  nor  floor,  but  was  covered  with  oak  shakes  and 
lap  shingles  smoothed  only  with  a  drawing  knife.  A  visitor 
said  the  material  ''looked  as  if  it  had  been  taken  from  the 
stump  within  twenty-four  hours."  The  interior  finish  was 
all  in  hard  wood,  antique  perhaps,  rustic  certainly.  The 
floor  was  loose  boards.  The  pews  were  slabs  without  any 
backs.  The  day  before  the  organization,  the  building  had 
received  a  door  and  windows,  but  there  was  no  lath  or  desk. 
The  pulpit  built  later  is  thus  described:  "The  desk,  which  was 
made  of  common  boards,  required  perhaps  two  hours'  work 
for  its  construction,  and  was  never  worth  painting.  The  top 
was  a  board  six  inches  wide,  supported  in  front  by  two  other 
upright  ones  of  cottonwood,  and  at  the  ends  by  two  narrow 
ones  of  black  walnut.  It  was  for  several  years  the  only  pulpit 
in  Iowa  owned  by  a  Congregational  church.     The  house  cor- 


32  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

responded  with  the  desk.  But  rude  as  this  house  was,  God 
honored  it  with  his  presence,  and  was  there  found  by  many 
who  had  been  led  by  the  word  there  preached  to  seek  him." 

The  church  was  organized;  now  for  a  pastor.  The  Quincy 
minister  was  their  coveted  prize.  So  strong  was  their  appeal, 
so  great  was  his  interest  in  the  new  territory,  that  he  accepted, 
and  in  August  of  this  year  began  the  first  Congregational 
pastorate  of  Iowa,  which  continued  for  thirty  years. 

Denmark  then,  according  to  Father  Turner,  consisted  of 
"three  houses  and  a  school-house.  The  house  in  which  we 
spent  the  first  night  was  called  'Copenhagen,'  the  capital  of 
Denmark.  It  was  built  of  logs,  and  consisted  of  two  rooms 
and  a  sort  of  shanty  addition  for  a  bedroom.  It  was  occupied 
by  two  families." 

Reed's  description  of  the  Denmark  of  1838  is  as  follows: 

Fifty  years  have  passed  since  that  day,  but  I  can  see  the  Denmark  of 
that  day  as  though  it  were  yesterday.  To  bring  it  back  you  must  sweep 
away  these  churches,  school-houses,  and  dwelUngs,  and  all  traces  of  these 
groves,  orchards,  hedges,  fences,  everything  that  the  hand  of  man  has 
touched.  You  must  make  these  fields  again  one  wild  prairie,  covered  with 
wild  grass,  "hazel  roughs,"  and  oak  grubs,  a  single  hickory  where  Mr. 
Turner  built  his  house,  and  a  small  clump  of  them  where  Hartwell  Taylor 
lived.  Coining  up  the  prairie  from  the  east,  you  would  see  occasionally 
a  lone  cabin  standing  out  in  the  sun  with  little  or  no  improvements  about 
it.  Then  came  the  meeting-house,  unfinished  as  you  could  see  at  a  glance, 
standing  by  itself  quite  out  in  the  prairie,  and  the  view  to  the  south  and 
west  was  as  wild  as  when  it  was  the  Indian  hunting  ground. 

Mr.  Turner's  salary  for  the  first  year  was  $300.00.  In  July 
of  1840,  he  began  to  act  as  Agent  of  the  Home  Missionary 
Society,  and  $200.00  was  added  to  his  salary,  but,  for  at  least 
ten  years,  it  never  exceeded  $500.00,  and  for  the  most  part 
was  much  less  than  that  amount.  The  actual  amount  raised  by 
the  church  for  ten  years  was  less  than  $300.00  per  year. 

"That  he  was  economical  in  his  household,"  says  Mr.  Reed, 
"you  can  easily  believe.  I  have  seen  his  children  more  than 
once  making  their  suppers  solely  of  stewed  pumpkin  and 


THE   PATRIARCHS,   1838-1842  33 

milk.  I  have  heard  that  his  family  and  his  horse  have  been 
supplied  from  the  same  barrel,"  At  one  time  he  rode  for 
nearly  half  a  day  to  borrow  money  so  as  to  take  his  letters 
from  the  post-office.  Postage  on  Eastern  letters  was  then 
twenty-five  cents. 

The  people  of  the  Denmark  parsonage  shared  with  others 
the  privations  and  anxieties  incident  to  pioneer  life.  In  the 
fall  of  1839,  occurred  the  first  land  sale  at  Burlington.  Up  to 
that  time,  the  people  held  their  homes  only  as  "squatters." 
Speculators  and  "land  grabbers"  stood  ready  to  bid  in  their 
homes  from  under  them.  It  was  a  time  of  great  anxiety.  Mr. 
Turner  went  East  to  secure  the  money  to  purchase  his  claim. 
Coming  back,  the  Ohio  River  was  low,  and  he  was  delayed. 
"  Will  father  get  back  in  time?  "  was  the  all-absorbing  question 
in  the  pastor's  home.  Neighbors  assured  Mrs.  Turner  that 
the  parsonage  claims  would  be  protected,  but  still  she  was 
very  anxious.  Mr.  Epps  and  Mr.  Fox  secured  the  land,  and 
in  a  few  days  Mr.  Turner  arrived  with  the  money  to  the  great 
joy  and  relief  of  all.  He  worked  his  way  down  the  Ohio  to 
save  expenses. 

About  a  year  after  the  organization  of  the  Denmark  Church, 
Mr.  Turner  wrote : 

Around  and  on  this  prairie,  within  a  distance  of  six  or  seven  miles,  I 
found  about  thirty  sheep  without  a  shepherd.  These  I  have  gathered  into 
a  church.  Some  have  left  and  others  have  come;  we  now  number  about 
sixty.  God  in  his  goodness  has  visited  us,  and  converted  a  goodly  number 
considering  our  congregation.  Eight  have  already  united  with  us  by 
profession.  Of  those  who  are  hopefully  converted,  six  are  heads  of  fami- 
hes.  Two  young  men  of  promise  have  already  left  us  to  prepare  for  the 
ministry.  One  is  a  son  of  a  deacon  of  a  church  in  Connecticut.  He 
thinks  it  a  wonderful  providence  that  he  must  come  out  to  Black  Hawk  to 
know  what  he  must  do  to  be  saved. 

A  third  event  of  great  importance  in  1838  was  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Burlington  Church.  Burlington  was  then  one  of 
the  most  important  places  in  Iowa.  Early  in  the  year,  an 
Old  School  Presbyterian  church  had  been  organized,  but  it 


34  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

died  almost  as  soon  as  born.  In  its  place,  November  25,  a 
New  School  Presbyterian  church  was  organized.  Rev.  James 
S.  Clark,  of  Connecticut,  a  graduate  of  Yale  University,  and 
a  divinity  student  at  Yale  and  Princeton,  had  succeeded  Mr. 
Apthorp  at  Ft.  Madison  in  the  early  part  of  this  year.  In  a 
communication  to  the  Home  Missionary,  he  says:  "Since 
my  last,  by  the  earnest  request  of  some  individuals,  I  have 
formed  a  church  at  Burlington.  It  consisted,  at  first,  of  twelve 
members.  Three  intelligent  men  were  ordained  elders.  I 
find  a  number  more  who  will  join  at  the  first  opportunity. 
This  is  an  important  place,  and  they  are  disposed  to  give  a 
good  support  to  a  minister."  This  was  the  Presbyterian  begin- 
ning of  our  noble  church  at  Burlington. 

The  fourth  great  event  of  the  year  was  the  advent  of  the 
second  of  the  patriarchs,  Reuben  Gaylord.  He  was  born  of 
humble,  godly  parents,  of  the  Huguenot  stock,  at  Norfolk, 
Connecticut,  April  28,  1812.  In  1830  he  entered  Yale  Uni- 
versity. His  father  carried  him  down  to  New  Haven  in  the 
one-horse  wagon,  two  days  being  required  for  the  journey. 
As  he  was  passing  to  his  examination,  his  father  said,  "Very 
likely,  I  shall  have  to  carry  you  home  with  me  for  you  have 
not  half  studied."  A  little  later,  the  son  retorted,  "Father, 
you  will  have  to  go  home  alone,  for  I  am  not  going  with  you." 

Graduating  in  1834,  Gaylord  had  a  call  at  once  to  Ilhnois 
College,  at  Jacksonville,  and  was  tutor  here  for  two  and  one- 
half  years.  Here  he  began  his  theological  studies,  under 
Dr.  Edward  Beecher,  the  president  of  the  institution,  but 
went  back  to  Yale  Divinity  School,  in  1837,  and  graduated 
the  following  year.  He,  with  six  others,  undertook  to  or- 
ganize a  Yt^le  Band  for  Iowa.  March  1st,  1838,  he  writes  to 
the  secretaries  of  the  An  eiican  Hon  e  Missionary  Society: 

A  few  young  men,  men.bers  of  this  Seminary  have  become  deeply  in- 
terested in  that  section  of  our  country  l>ang  west  of  the  Mississippi,  com- 
monly known  as  "Iowa  District"  or  "Black  Hawk  Purchase."  Seeing 
their  destitute  condition,   forlorn  as  respects  educational  and  religious 


THE  PATRIARCHS,   1838-1842  35 

institutions,  and  learning  that  the  district  is  filHng  up  with  a  rapidity 
unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the  country,  we  feel  a  strong  conviction 
that  if  the  way  can  be  opened,  it  is  our  duty  to  plant  our  feet  west  of  the 
"Father  of  Waters."  We  wish  to  concentrate  our  influence  and  bring 
it  to  bear  upon  the  future  state  of  Iowa,  while  yet  in  its  infancy.  Our 
object  will  be  twofold,  to  preach  the  gospel  and  to  open  a  school  at  the 
outset  which  can  soon  be  elevated  to  the  rank  of  a  college.  Knowing 
that  such  an  enterprise  can  not  be  accomplished  by  ind  vidual  effort,  the 
following  brethren  are  ready  to  associate  and  pledge  themselves  in  the 
work  if  the  way  can  be  opened  so  as  to  warrant  the  undertaking. 

The  Band  did  not  go  forward  in  the  enterprise,  but  Gaylord 
went  alone.  July  4th,  he  wrote  again:  "I  wish  now  to 
present  to  your  board,  my  application  for  a  commission  to  labor 
in  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry  in  the  Territory  of  Iowa.  I 
wrote  you  four  months  since  in  behalf  of  our  Iowa  Association, 
and  your  reply,  so  full  of  encouragement,  was  most  gratefully 
received." 

Under  date  of  July  27,  he  writes  to  Miss  Sarah  Burton,  of 
Round  Prairie,  Illinois:  "Yes,  I  have  received  my  commission 
to  preach  the  gospel  in  Henry  County,  district  of  Iowa,  for  the 
term  of  twelve  months  from  the  commencement  of  labor. 
Thus  the  Lord  is  opening  the  door  into  his  vineyard,  and 
saying,  'Go,  proclaim  my  truth  unto  the  people.'  I  am  to 
be  located  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  the  county  seat  of  Henry  County. 
I  am  to  receive  $400.00  for  the  year,  and  $40.00  for  traveling 
expenses.  I  have  decided  to  leave  on  the  21st  or  22nd  of 
August." 

Gaylord  was  ordained  at  Plymouth,  Connecticut,  early  in 
August,  and  August  20th,  started  West.  Of  course,  he  stopped 
at  Round  Prairie,  but  soon  pushed  on  to  Iowa,  decided  to 
locate  at  Mt.  Pleasant,  and  then  hurried  back  to  the  wedding 
which  was  October  13.  He  now  begins  to  say  "we."  In  his 
journal  he  wrote:  "We  left  for  Iowa,  November  27,  and 
reached  Mt.  Pleasant  December  1,  1838;  commenced  house- 
keeping, December  23;  severe  weather  and  no  comfortable 
place  for  meeting.     And  now,  old  1838  is  gone,  and  '39  comes 


36  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

knocking  at  the  door.  Since  1838  commenced,  I  have  assumed 
new  and  mighty  responsibilities.  I  have  taken  upon  me  the 
duties  and  obligations  of  the  gospel  ministry,  and  entered 
the  marriage  relation.  May  I  prove  faithful  and  not  trust 
too  much  to  my  own  strength." 

His  first  report  to  the  Home  Missionary  Society  was  as 
follows : 

After  a  fatiguing  journey  of  nearly  five  weeks,  I  have  found  everything 
as  favorable  here  as  I  expected,  considering  the  age  of  the  country.  The 
settlers  came  in*o  this  country  about  four  years  since,  and  it  now  con- 
tains not  far  fr  m  four  thousand  inhabitants,  on  an  area  of  twenty-four 
miles  square.  Improvements  have  been  put  in  beyond  a  parallel  in  any 
country.  The  land  in  a  large  portion  of  the  country  is  in  the  market, 
and  much  of  it  already  bought  and  paid  for  by  actual  settlers.  Mt. 
Pleasant  is  three  years  old,  and  it  stands  high  and  commands  an  extensive 
view  of  timber  and  prairie.  It  will  have  every  facility  for  building  when 
the  enterprise  of  the  people  shall  develop  its  natural  resources.  I  men- 
tion these  things  to  show  the  prospects  of  the  place  for  future  growth. 

Gaylord  reported  again  to  the  Home  Missionary  Society  as 
follows : 

This  is  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  of  my  missionary  labors  in  Iowa. 
Being  a  stranger,  it  was  necessary  to  move  c;  utiously  at  first.  Weather 
has  been  most  unfavorable  on  the  Sabbath,  and  we  have  had  no  suitable 
place  for  public  worship.  Add  to  this  the  labor  of  gathering  material  for 
housekeeping  in  a  newly  :  ettled  country,  and  it  is  not  surprising  if  we  fail 
to  see  such  results  as  we  expect  and  hope  for.  Moreover,  prejudices  are 
easily  excited,  and  hard  to  be  allayed.  I  am  called  an  "educated  man"  and 
a  "Presbyterian."  Then  the  term  "Yankee"  is  sometimes  as  repulsive  to 
a  Western  man  as  Uke  poles  of  a  magnet. 

Congregationalism  did  not  find  congenial  soil  and  atmos- 
phere in  Early  Iowa.  If  it  won  its  way  it  was  by  its  inherent 
worth,  and  the  character  of  its  advocates. 

From  August  to  December,  1838,  Asa  Turner  was  alone 
in  the  Iowa  work;  then,  December  first,  Reuben  Gaylord  came 
to  his  assistance.  These  two  constituted  the  ministerial 
Pilgrim  force  for  1839.  But  there  were  important  develop- 
ments.    This  year  marked  the  beginnings  of  five  of  our  impor- 


THE   PATRIARCHS,    1838-1842  37 

tant  churches.  Of  course,  no  one  of  the  early  missionaries 
confined  his  labors  to  one  community.  Mr.  Gaylord  began 
at  once  to  hold  services  regularly  at  Danville  and  New  London. 
At  Danville,  on  Sunday,  June  30,  he  wrote  in  his  journal: 
"Spent  the  forenoon  of  Saturday  visiting  among  the  people 
in  that  settlement,  and  in  the  afternoon  preached  from  the 
words,  *  Come  out  from  among  them.'  Several  then  presented 
their  letters  and  were  organized  into  a  church.  On  the  Sabbath 
Brother  Turner  came  over  to  assist,  and  at  noon  the  organiza- 
tion was  completed,  and  we  sat  down  for  the  first  time  in  our 
infant  territory  at  the  table  of  our  blessed  Lord." 

This  was  the  second  Congregational  church  organized  in 
Iowa,  although,  according  to  our  minutes,  it  is  fourth  on  the 
list.  Burlington  and  Dubuque  began  as  Presbyterian  churches. 
The  change  to  Congregationalism  was  so  slight  that  the  "his- 
toric continuity"  of  these  churches  was  in  no  wise  disturbed 
and  the  earlier  dates  were  retained,  but  at  first  they  were  not 
listed  with  the  Congregational  churches  of  the  Territory. 

As  we  have  seen,  Cyrus  L.  Watson  labored  at  Dubuque  for 
a  few  months  in  1836-1837,  but  left  no  church.  May  12, 
1839,  a  church  was  organized,  under  the  Presbyterian  form  of 
government,  by  Rev.  James  A.  Clark,  of  Fort  Madison.  For 
sixteen  months  from  its  organization,  the  church  was  supplied 
by  Rev.  Z.  K.  Hawley,  of  Connecticut.  Then  Mr.  Townsend 
supplied  for  a  time,  and  then  the  church  began  its  great  career 
in  the  Congregational  way. 

The  Davenport  church,  the  fifth  as  to  date  of  organization, 
and  the  third  for  the  year,  was  organized  July  30,  with  twelve 
members.  Albert  Hale,  one  of  the  Yale  Band,  missionary 
pastor  for  many  years  at  Bethel,  Bond  County,  Illinois,  for 
thirty  years  pastor  of  the  second  Presbyterian  church  at 
Springfield,  and  for  many  years  Lincoln's  pastor,  assisted  in 
the  organization  of  this  church.  He  was  at  the  time  Agent 
for  the  Home  Missionary  Society.  The  church  was  an  off- 
shoot from  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  church  previously 


38  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

organized.  John  C.  Holbrook  then  at  Davenport,  could  not 
be  an  Old  School  Presbyterian;  and  there  were  others  of  like 
mind.  The  first  pastor,  Rev.  J.  P.  Stuart,  was  Gaylord's 
classmate  in  the  seminary,  and  associated  with  him  in  his 
plans  and  efforts  for  the  "Iowa  District."  His  stay  in  Iowa, 
however,  was  too  brief  to  be  of  any  significance. 

The  next  church  to  be  organized  is  that  at  Fairfield.  Mr. 
Gaylord  reports  the  organization  as  follows :  "  During  the  week 
following  December  5th,  went  by  invitation  to  Fairfield, 
the  county  seat  of  Jefferson  County.  Weather  was  extremely 
cold.  Arrived  on  Friday,  December  20,  and  shortly  after 
it  commenced  snowing.  The  snow  fell  over  a  foot  in  depth, 
and  interrupted  our  meeting  somewhat.  The  only  shelter 
for  my  horse  was  to  stand  in  the  snow  by  the  side  of  a  building 
with  a  blanket  over  him.  On  Saturday  evening,  I  held  a 
prayer  meeting  and  took  the  first  step  toward  forming  a  church. 
Preached  Sabbath,  the  22nd,  and  immediately  after  service, 
organized  a  Congregational  church  of  twelve  members.  It 
was  a  season  of  deep  interest.  The  settlement  is  very  new,  but 
many  people  are  coming  into  the  country." 

The  Lyons  church,  the  fifth  for  the  year,  and  the  seventh  in 
the  state,  had  its  beginnings  December  21,  over  at  Union 
Grove,  Illinois.  The  membership  was  gathered  from  Union 
Grove,  Fulton,  and  Lyons.  Six  years  later.  Union  Grove 
became  an  independent  organization,  but  the  Fulton  and  Lyons 
portion  of  the  church  kept  together  until  1856,  at  which  time 
the  Lyons  church  bade  farewell  to  its  Illinois  associates. 

The  strength  of  every  church  is  its  membership.  The 
Lyons  church  has  had  its  share  of  strong  men.  Here  is  one 
of  the  men  of  the  early  times,  Deacon  William  K.  Vincent,  who 
united  with  the  church  September  20,  1846:  "For  a  long  time 
he  carried  the  church  almost  alone.  He  was  the  church! 
He  acted  as  Sunday  school  superintendent,  preacher,  chorister, 
sexton — in  fact  did  anything  and  everything  which  needed 
to  be  done.     He  never  returned  to  his  home  wdthout  service 


THE   PATRIARCHS,    1838-1842  39 

because  there  chanced  to  be  no  minister.  Living  out  about 
tv/o  miles  west  of  town,  he  was  to  be  seen  driving  up  each 
Lord's  day,  rain  or  shine,  to  whatever  happened  to  be  the 
place  of  worship.  He  was  equally  regular  in  his  attendance 
at  Sabbath  school  and  prayer  meeting.  First  unfastening  his 
ox-team  and  caring  for  their  comfort,  he  would  straightway 
proceed  to  unload  the  wood  he  had  brought  from  his  own  pile, 
the  supply  for  the  day,  and  also  material  for  lighting  in  the 
evening,  and  then  go  forward  in  his  business-like  way  to  build 
the  fires  and  prepare  for  meeting.  When  the  congregation 
had  assembled,  in  his  simple-hearted  and  fervent  manner  he 
would  take  that  part  of  the  service  in  which  he  was  most  needed 
— generally  with  tuning  fork  in  hand,  pitching  the  tunes, 
lining  off  the  hymns  and  leading  the  choir  in  the  peculiar  style 
of  those  days;  sometimes  even  acting  as  preacher,  lifting  his 
voice  in  exhortation  or  prayer.  We  hear  at  one  time  of  his 
going  with  his  ox-team  as  a  delegate  to  a  meeting  of  the 
Association  in  the  interior  of  the  state,  hoping  to  obtain  there, 
and  bring  a  minister  back  to  this  destitute  flock." 

Three  events  of  sneci^l  significance  to  Congregational  Iowa 
mark  the  year  1840, — the  organization  of  the  Farmingtcn 
Church,  the  coming  of  Juhus  A.  Reed,  and  the  forming  of  the 
State  Association.  Father  Turner  reports  the  organization  of 
the  church  as  follows: 

Farmington  was  my  next  place.  Here  I  met  Brother  Clark  of  Fort  Mad- 
ison, who  spent  the  Sabbath  with  me.  Our  design  was  to  have  preached 
two  days,  but  the  weather  was  so  stormy  that  few  could  attend.  In 
addition  to  this,  my  old  acquaintance,  fever-ague,  paid  me  a  visit,  and 
took  up  all  my  time.  A  church  was  organized  of  fourteen  members. 
Their  ardent  desire  is  that  you  will  send  them  a  minister.  A  Congrega- 
tional minister  will  probably  suit  them  best.  This  place  I  deem  one  of 
importance.  It  now  contains  two  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants.  Steam- 
boats reach  here  without  hindrance  in  the  fall  and  spring.  The  country 
around,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  is  densely  settled,  and  I  think  the  de- 
mand for  a  minister  is  imperious.  They  already  have  a  house,  about 
25  X  36,  now  enclosed,  and  design  to  finish  it  immediately.  This  house 
would  be  well  filled  if  they  had  a  minister. 


40  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Julius  A.  Reed,  the  third  of  the  Patriarchs,  was  born  at 
East  Windsor,  Connecticut,  January  16,  1809,  his  father's 
house  at  the  time  being  situated  opposite  the  East  Windsor 
Hill  Theological  Seminary.  He  was  a  descendant  of  Governor 
William  Bradford,  of  the  Mayflower.  He  studied  at  Trinity 
College,  Hartford,  and  graduated  from  Yale  University  in 
the  Class  of  1829,  at  the  age  of  twenty.  Tutoring  a  year  in 
the  family  of  Hon.  WiUiam  Jay,  of  Bedford,  New  York,  teach- 
ing a  year  in  the  Billington  High  School,  and  then  spending 
two  years  as  tutor  in  the  family  of  Judge  Perkins  of  Natchez, 
Mississippi,  he  got  his  first  taste  of  the  West  in  a  visit  to  his 
brother.  Dr.  M.  N.  Reed,  of  Jacksonville,  Illinois.  For  a 
long  while  Mr.  Reed  debated  whether  his  life  work  should  be 
in  law  or  medicine  or  the  ministry.  Deciding  at  length  for 
the  ministry,  he  left  Jacksonville  in  September  of  1833,  pur- 
chased a  horse  at  Springfield,  and  went  on  horseback  all  the 
way  to  Connecticut,  six  weeks  being  required  for  the  journey, 
and  entered  the  Yale  Divinity  School  at  New  Haven. 

While  in  the  seminary,  he  joined  the  Illinois  Band.  Gradu- 
ating in  1835,  he  was  licensed  by  the  New  Haven  West  Asso- 
ciation, received  a  commission  from  the  American  Home 
Missionary  Society,  was  married  December  21,  1835,  in  the 
Female  Academy  of  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  to  Miss  Caroline 
Blood,  of  Concord,  Massachusetts,  and  was  ordained  in  "God's 
Barn"  at  Quincy,  in  April  of  1836,  Asa  Turner  and  Cyrus  L. 
Watson  assisting  in  the  services.  His  Illinois  parishes  were  at 
Warsaw,  Monticello,  Carthage  and  Nauvoo.  This  was  before 
the  Mormons  took  possession  of  Nauvoo,  and  Mr.  Reed  was 
accustomed  to  say  in  after  years  that  Joseph  Smith  was  his 
successor. 

Mr.  Reed  tried  to  settle  down  in  the  East,  in  1839-1840 
serving  as  chaplain  of  the  insane  asylum,  in  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts, but  the  call  to  the  West  was  so  insistent,  that  for 
the  fourth  time  he  set  his  face  toward  the  setting  sun,  and 
entered  for  a  life  service,  the  field  which  he  had  seen  from  afar 


THE  PATRIARCHS,    1838-1842  41 

in  1833,  and  which  he  had  touched  in  missionary  tours  in  1836, 
1837,  and  1838,  west  of  the  Mississippi  River.  Mr.  Turner 
wrote  in  June  of  1840:  "The  people  and  the  church  of  Fair- 
field are  all  waiting  for  you:  situation  very  pleasant,  healthy, 
and  a  wide  field  of  usefulness  in  the  country.  About  twelve 
miles  north  is  a  Yankee  settlement  at  Brighton.  I  think  you 
would  be  better  satisfied  here  with  us  Hawkeyes.  We  should 
be  able  to  form  an  association  this  fall."  Mr.  Reed  puts  the 
two  events  together  in  one  sentence:  "I  joined  the  Association 
at  the  time  of  its  organization,  and  commenced  preaching  at 
Fairfield,  November  29,  1840." 

November  5,  a  convention  met  at  Denmark,  of  course,  to 
consider  the  expediency  of  organizing  a  Congregational  Asso- 
ciation in  Iowa.  Four  delegates  came  over  from  the  Illinois 
Association  to  attend  the  convention.  Those  present  from 
the  Iowa  churches  were  Rev.  Messrs.  A.  Turner  of  Denmark, 
Reuben  Gaylord  of  Danville,  and  Julius  A.  Reed,  who  had  just 
entered  the  state,  and  delegates  William  0.  Hitchcock  from 
Fairfield,  Deacon  Oliver  Brooks,  and  Isaac  Field  from  Den- 
mark, and  Samuel  B.  Jagger  and  Thomas  K.  Hulburt  from 
Danville.  For  some  reason  the  Davenport,  Lyons,  and 
Farmington  churches  were  not  represented  in  the  Convention. 

On  the  following  morning,  November  6,  1840,  after  a  full 
consideration  of  the  important  matter,  this  little  band  of 
Congregationalists,  three  ministers  and  five  laymen,  had  the 
faith  and  courage  to  organize  the  Congregational  Association 
of  Iowa.  I  think  the  brethren  must  have  read  that  morning, 
"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  grain  of  mustard  seed." 
This  was  the  first  Congregational  State  Association  formed 
west  of  New  York.  The  great  importance  of  this  event  is  set 
forth  in  one  of  Mr.  Reed's  papers,  in  which  he  says: 

The  organization  of  this  Association  was  a  reversal  of  the  policy  pur- 
sued by  the  Congregationalists  from  the  beginning  of  the  century.  A 
large  majority  of  the  people  were  from  the  West  and  South.  Half  of  them 
had  never  heard  of  CongregationaUsm  and  many  who  had  heard  of  it  were 


42-  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

indebted  for  their  information  to  those  who  were  opposed  to  its  obtaining 
a  foothold  in  Iowa.  The  strife  between  New  School  and  Old  School 
Presbyterians  was  at  its  height.  The  former  claimed  the  Congregational 
element  as  their  own;  the  latter,  while  charging  Congregationalists  with 
disorder  and  heresy  of  every  description,  never  refused  them  admission 
into  their  churches.  The  custom  so  long  prevalent  among  Congrega- 
tionalists of  throwing  the  church  polity  of  their  fathers  into  the  Hudson 
as  they  came  to  the  West,  encouraged  all  denominations  to  endeavor  to 
draw  them  into  their  churches  and  feel  a  common  interest  in  preventing 
the  growth  of  distinctive  Congregationalism.  The  organization  of  the 
Association  settled  the  question  whether  Congregationalism  was  to  have 
a  home  in  Iowa,  and  whether  Congregationalists  would  adhere  to  the 
Puritan  polity.  One  result  was  that  Congregationalists  coming  into  the 
state,  finding  churches  of  their  own  order,  were  not  disposed  to  join  others 
and  another  result  was  that  other  denominations  meeting  little  success  in 
their  attempts  to  proselyte,  have  gradually  abandoned  them. 

A  sad  event  of  1840,  was  the  death  of  Mrs.  Gaylord,  Sep- 
tember 23,  only  a  little  more  than  two  years  after  her  marriage. 
The  old  story  of  dying  grace  for  the  dying  hour  is  here  repeated, 
for  on  the  day  of  her  death,  she  said:  "Twenty-three  years 
ago  my  father  was  presented  with  his  first-born  daughter, 
and  on  this  anniversary  of  my  birthday,  I  am  about  to  leave 
earth  for  heaven." 

Eighteen  hundred  and  f.rty-one  is  another  notable  year  in 
our  history.  One  of  the  significant  events,  which  turned  out  to 
be  of  no  significance  at  all,  is  the  opening  up  of  navigation  on 
the  Iowa  River!  June  20,  the  steam-boat  "Ripple"  reached 
Iowa  City.  It  was  a  day  of  great  rejoicing,  and  there  was  great 
enthusiasm  in  the  banquet  held  in  honor  of  Captain  Jones.  The 
captain  said:  "I  have  come  here  to  prove  beyond  a  contradic- 
tion that  the  Iowa  River  is  navigable."  Here  was  one  of  the 
toasts  of  the  occasion:  "Iowa- — bounded  on  the  East  by  the 
'  Father  of  Waters'  and  interspread  by  interior  channels  of  navi- 
gation; her  prospects  are  unsurpassed  by  any  portion  of  the 
great  West."  And  here  is  another:  "May  the  steamboat 
'Ripple'  be  successful  in  obtaining  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
freight  and  passengers  to  justify  her  in  paying  us  a  visit  on  the 


THE   PATRIARCHS,    1838-1842  43 

fourth  of  July  next."  The  captain  concluded  by  saying:  "Now, 
gentlemen,  your  river  is  navigable;  the  boat  is  ready;  your 
obedient  servant  is  at  your  service." 

Earlier  than  this  Father  Turner  had  reported  many  inland 
streams  in  Iowa  "navigable  for  hundreds  of  miles  toward  their 
source";  and  later  Julius  A.  Reed  predicted  that  "the  Des 
Moines  River  will  be  put  in  shape  for  slack  water  navigation 
as  far  as  to  Fort  Des  Moines."  Great  efforts  were  made  to 
have  it  so.  For  the  improvement  of  the  river,  Congress  set 
aside  a  strip  five  miles  wide,  in  alternate  sections,  on  both 
sides  of  the  river,  from  its  mouth  to  its  source.  This  land  if 
sold  to-day  would  pay  the  national  debt,  and  build  a  war  ship 
or  two  beside. 

This  year  Oliver  Emerson  and  John  C.  Holbrook  arrived 
together,  and  churches  were  organized  at  Mount  Pleasant, 
Brighton,  Sabula,  and  Andrew,  the  Cottonville  church  of  a 
later  day.  The  date  of  the  Mount  Pleasant  organization  is 
June  27.  This  is  Reuben  Gaylord's  field,  and,  of  course,  he 
has  to  do  with  the  organization.  His  record  of  the  event  is 
simply  this:  "Friday,  June  25,  went  to  Mount  Pleasant, 
and  took  the  preparatory  step  toward  forming  a  church. 
Preached  twice  on  the  Sabbath  with  considerable  freedom. 
At  the  close  of  the  afternoon  service  organized  a  church  of 
seven  members." 

The  date  of  the  Brighton  organization  is  July  31.  Here 
again  Reuben  Gaylord  has  a  part  in  the  service  and  records 
the  event  as  follows:  "On  Friday,  July  30,  I  left  home  for 
Brighton,  Washington  County,  and  arrived  in  the  evening. 
Met  Brother  Reed  of  Fairfield.  Saturday  we  gathered  a  few 
friends  of  the  Redeemer,  and  took  the  preparatory  step  for 
the  organization  of  a  church.  In  the  morning  I  spoke.  In 
the  afternoon  a  church  of  ten  members  was  organized  with 
appropriate  exercises,  and  in  the  evening  Brother  Reed 
preached  from  John  3:3." 

Both  Emerson  and  Holbrook  had  come  into  the  territory 


44  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

somewhat  earlier,  but  this  year  they  came  together  into  the 
fellowship  of  the  Congregational  ministry  in  Iowa.  They 
came  together,  but  Emerson  a  little  ahead,  as  he  was  ordained 
while  Holbrook  was  simply  licensed.  Autobiography  is  more 
picturesque  and  vivid  then  biography,  so  we  will  let  Mr, 
Emerson,  at  least  in  part,  tell  his  own  story.  Writing  at 
Miles,  January  27,  1883,  he  says: 

I  was  bom  in  Lynnfield,  Massachusetts,  March  26,  1813,  converted 
under  Methodist  preaching  at  Lynnfield,  and  joined  the  Baptist  church 
in  North  Reading,  in  1827;  entered  Phillips  Academy,  March  1,  1828;  be- 
came a  beneficiary  of  the  American  Education  Society,  on  recommen- 
dation of  Dr.  Leonard  Woods,  June  27,  1828;  entered  Waterville  College, 
September  20,  1831;  began  preaching  (unofficially),  at  the  request  of 
friends,  December  25,  1831;  graduated  from  college,  and  licensed  to  preach 
by  the  above  named  church  in  July  1835;  lost  two  years  by  sickness  after 
graduation;  entered  Lane  Theological  Seminary,  September  1837;  paid 
my  expenses  through  the  Seminary  coiu-se  by  preaching,  the  rule  against 
preaching  in  term  time  being  suspended  in  my  favor;  completed  the  course 
June  10,  1840;  applied  for  ordination  as  a  Baptist  minister,  and  was  refused 
solely  from  my  rejection  of  their  "close  communion";  came  at  once  to 
Iowa  and  made  a  similar  application,  and  was  again  refused;  joined  the 
Congregational  church  at  Davenport,  Iowa,  in  March  1841, as  a  private 
member,  continuing  to  preach  constantly,  though  claiming  no  ministerial 
standing;  ordained  in  October  1841,  by  the  Congregational  Association  of 
Iowa.  This  step  was  taken  with  anxiety  and  hesitation  on  the  part  of  all 
concerned,  as  I  was  known  as  a  decided  Baptist,  and  expecting  to  remain 
one. 

To  make  the  life  of  the  man  as  here  narrated,  stand  out  a 
little  more  distinctly  before  us,  these  supplementary  state- 
ments should  be  made :  His  entire  left  side  was  paralyzed  from 
his  birth,  and  he  was  heard  to  say  that  when  his  health  was 
at  its  best,  he  had  never  seen  a  well  day,  and  had  never  taken 
a  step  without  pain.  With  his  other  infirmities,  he  had  a 
"club  foot."  His  studies  were  greatly  interrupted  by  sickness 
and  twice  he  went  home  to  die.  On  the  evening  of  the  day  of 
his  graduation  from  Lane  Seminary,  June  10,  1840,  he  took 
deck  passage  on  a  steamer  for  Iowa,  not  being  able  to  pay 


THE   PATRIARCHS,    1838-1842  45 

cabin  fare.  Ten  days  later,  he  landed  at  Davenport  with  a 
scanty  wardrobe  and  an  empty  purse.  He  supplied  the 
Baptist  Church  for  six  months,  but  the  refusal  of  the  Baptist 
people  to  ordain  him  cut  him  off  from  that  engagement. 
He  supplied  the  Congregationalist  church  for  six  months,  his 
salary  being  $15.00  per  month.  The  ordination  was  November 
7,  not  in  October,  as  Mr.  Emerson  has  it  in  his  autobiography. 
The  journey  to  Danville  is  thus  described  by  Mr.  Emerson: 
Mr.  Holbrook  "was  weary  of  playing  the  part  of  Jonah,  and 
was  about  yielding  to  his  long  cherished  conviction  to  enter 
the  ministry.  We  obtained  the  loan  of  a  lame  horse,  old  and 
poor,  and  a  buggy  badly  shattered  and  nearly  ready  to  fall 
down.  We  knew  no  one  but  Mr.  Turner,  and  none  on  the  way. 
The  meeting  was  held  in  a  small  school  house." 

No  wonder  the  brethren  of  the  Association,  Turner,  Gaylord, 
and  Reed,  for  this  was  the  extent  of  them,  were  perplexed. 
But  Mr.  Holbrook  testified  to  the  candidate's  character,  and 
spirit  and  preaching  ability.  When  did  ever  a  Congregational 
body  turn  down  a  good,  sincere  man?  He  was  ordained,  and 
he  went  out  from  that  meeting  to  become  our  itinerant  evange- 
list of  Eastern  Iowa,  the  founder  of  many  churches,  and  the 
special  advocate  of  Christian  Union,  all  of  which  will  appear 
as  we  proceed.  The  fruits  of  his  labor  begin  to  appear  at  once 
in  the  organization  of  the  Sabula  church,  December  14,  of 
this  year,  and  that  of  Cottonville,  December  26. 

We  are  at  no  loss  for  material  to  make  out  a  sketch  of 
Holbrook's  Hfe  for  his  "Recollections  of  a  Nonagenarian"  is 
open  before  us.  He,  too,  is  in  direct  line  from  Governor 
Bradford.  He  was  born  at  Brattleboro,  Vermont,  January  7, 
1808.  He  studied  at  Hopkins  Academy,  Hadley,  Massachu- 
setts, and  spent  two  years  in  a  military  academy.  He  suc- 
ceeded his  father,  a  papermaker  and  publisher  at  Brattleboro; 
was  in  business  for  a  time  in  Boston;  returned  to  Brattleboro; 
organized  the  Brattleboro  Typographic  Company;  resigned 
his  position  as  president  in  1839,  and  came  to  Davenport. 


46  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

"I  found  there,"  he  says,  "only  a  small  Presbyterian  church, 
with  a  rigid  Old  School  pastor.  At  first  I  attended  his  church, 
and  engaged  in  the  Sabbath  school,  but  soon  found  the  pastor 
to  be  an  autocrat,  of  a  domineering  spirit,  who  insisted  on 
controlling  everything,  including  the  Sabbath  school,  in  the 
most  arbitrary  manner,  and,  becoming  disgusted,  I  with  a  few 
others,  like-minded  with  myself,  formed  a  Congregational 
church  in  which  I  was  elected  deacon." 

He  tried  farming  for  a  time,  and  school  teaching,  but  with- 
out much  success.  He  frankly  admits:  "I  soon  found  that  I 
was  not  adapted  to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  the  old  proposi- 
tion to  preach,  which  had  followed  me  all  my  days,  returned 
with  redoubled  force,  and  I  applied  to  the  Congregational 
Association,  and  received  approbation  as  a  minister  of  the 
gospel  after  careful  examination." 

Holbrook  secured  at  once  a  commission  from  the  Home 
Missionary  Society,  and  began  preaching  in  communities 
round  about  his  residence  at  Davenport.  There  were  two 
other  ordinations  at  this  Association.  Thomas  P.  Emerson, 
a  native  of  Maine,  graduating  with  his  cousin  Oliver  Emerson 
at  Lane  Seminary,  came  on  with  him  to  Iowa,  and  began  his 
missionary  work  at  Marion.  After  a  year  of  service,  he  came 
down  to  this  meeting  and  was  ordained.  He  went  back  for 
another  year  of  service  spending  it  mostly,  as  his  commission 
directed,  in  missionary  labors  up  and  down  the  Wapsipinecon. 
Emerson  soon  left  the  state,  and  left  no  organized  monument 
behind,  nor  did  he  win  the  grace  of  a  place  among  our  Patri- 
archs. 

The  other  candidate  for  ordination  at  this  meeting  was 
Charles  Burnham,  a  native  of  New  Hampshire,  a  graduate  of 
Dartm.outh,  and  licensed  by  the  Illinois  Association.  He  made 
a  longer  stay  in  Iowa,  as  we  shall  see,  beginning  at  Brighton  in 
October  of  this  year;  but,  not  rem.aining  long  enough,  he  failed 
to  secure  a  place  in  the  ranks  of  our  Patriarchs. 

At  the  time  of  this  meeting,  another  minister  had  come  to 


THE  PATRIARCHS,   18^8-1842  47 

the  state,  Rev.  Allen  B.  Hitchcock,  a  native  of  Great  Barring- 
ton,  Massachusetts,  born  in  1814.  He  began  preaching  at 
Davenport,  September  12,  of  this  year  (1841),  and  continued  to 
November  1,  1844.  But  he  was  not  here  long  enough  to  be 
classed  as  one  of  the  Patriarchs. 

The  year  1842  opened  with  Turner  pastor  at  Denmark,  and 
Agent  for  the  Home  Missionary  Society;  Gaylord  at  Danville 
and  Mt.  Pleasant;  Reed  at  Fairfield;  Burnham  at  Brighton, 
Crawfordsville,  Washington  and  Clay;  Oliver  Emerson,  bishop 
of  "the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,"  in  Clinton  and 
Jackson  Counties,  and  also  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  supply- 
ing at  Andrew,  Charleston,  and  De  Witt  in  Iowa,  and  Albany, 
Fulton  and  Union  Grove  in  Illinois;  T.  P.  Emerson,  missionary 
up  in  the  Wapsipinecon  country;  and  John  C.  Holbrook  com- 
missioned for  Lyons  and  vicinity. 

One  of  the  memorable  incidents  of  this  year  is  the  discovery 
of  Holbrook,  and  his  finding  himself  and  his  place  at  Dubuque : 
Death  came  to  his  home  claiming  one  of  his  two  sons,  and  then 
his  wife,  and  he  was  left  with  only  his  eldest  son.  Homesick- 
ness took  possession  of  him,  and  he  was  about  to  return  to  the 
East,  but,  "Just  as  I  had  come  to  the  determination,"  he  says, 
"to  return  to  New  England,  my  family  physician.  Dr.  Joseph 
Clark  decided  to  seek  a  new  field,  and  for  that  purpose  was 
going  to  Wisconsin.  He  invited  me  to  take  a  seat  with  him. 
I  accepted,  but  without  the  least  idea  of  settling  again  any- 
where in  the  West." 

On  their  trip  through  Wisconsin,  Dr.  Clark  and  Holbrook 
fell  in  with  Stephen  Peet,  Agent  for  the  Home  Missionary 
Society  for  the  territory.  "As  Mr.  Peet  was  going  to  Potosi, 
he  proposed  that  I  should  accompany  him.  Having  no  plan 
to  hinder,  I  accepted  the  invitation.  On  our  arrival  at  Potosi, 
we  were  requested  to  spend  a  little  time  there  and  hold  a  series 
of  revival  meetings,  and  we  did  so.  Toward  the  end  of  the 
week,  the  Agent  informed  m.e  that  he  had  an  appointmicnt  to 
preach  on  the  following  Sunday  at  Dubuque,  Iowa,  a  few  miles 


48  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

below  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Mississippi,  the  church  there 
being  under  his  care,  and  he  suggested  that  I  should  go  there 
in  his  place.  I  consented,  and  on  Sunday  preached,  and  on 
the  next  morning,  before  I  left  I  received  an  official  call  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  church  on  a  salary  of  $600.00  of  which  $200.00 
was  to  come  from  the  Home  Missionary  Society  in  New  York. 
This  was  to  me  a  total  surprise,  as  I  had  thought  of  nothing  of 
the  kind.  I  replied  that  I  would  take  the  matter  under  con- 
sideration, and  returned  to  Potosi.  On  arriving,  I  told  him — 
Mr.  Peet — that  I  had  concluded  to  accept  the  call,  at  which 
he  was  as  much  surprised  as  I  had  been  at  receiving  it,  as  he 
had  had  no  such  design  in  regard  to  me.  Rev.  Dr.  Miter  of 
Milwaukee  expressed  his  astonishment  also,  and  added: 
'  Well,  when  he  was  here,  I  noticed  that  he  had  the  bump  of 
hope  largely  developed.'  " 

The  Home  Missionary  Agent  was  indeed  surprised  at  this 
turn  of  affairs,  and  said  he  had  no  idea  that  the  new  licentiate 
would  remain  in  Dubuque  three  months;  but  he  began  there 
in  March  of  1842,  a  ministry  of  twenty-two  years,  and  our 
great  church  of  Dubuque  is  one  of  Doctor  Holbrook's  greatest 
monuments,  although  he  has  others  East  and  West.  Mr 
Holbrook  says  that  Dubuque  at  this  time  was  a  town  of  some 
fifteen  hundred  inhabitants,  drawn  there  by  the  lead  mines, 
and  much  resembling  the  early  gold  mining  towns  of  California. 
"I  find,"  says  he,  "a  little  band  of  nineteen  men  occupying 
an  unfinished  plain  building,  unplastered  within  and  furnished 
only  with  unpainted  pine  pulpit  and  seats,  while  the  prayer 
meetings  are  held  in  the  basement,  likewise  unfinished  and 
lighted  only  by  night  by  the  candles  which  the  men  brought 
in.  It  was  gloomy  and  unattractive  in  the  extreme.  The 
following  July  after  my  call,  I  attended  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  Iowa  Congregational  Association  at  Davenport,  and  was 
ordained.  Father  Asa  Turner  preaching  the  sermon.  In  the 
following  spring,  the  Mineral  Point  Congregational  and 
Presbyterian  Convention,  Wisconsin,  with  which  my  church 


THE  PATRIARCHS,   1838-1842  49 

was  then  connected,  met  in  Dubuque,  and  I  was  installed  as 
pastor,  the  Rev.  Stephen  Peet  preaching  the  sermon." 

This  was  a  busy  year  for  all  the  brethren.  Burnham  of 
Brighton  reached  over  to  Washington,  and  February  27, 
organized  a  church  of  twelve  members  there;  and  to  Crawfords- 
ville,  and  organized,  April  3,  a  church  of  eight  members  there; 
and  out  to  Clay,  and  with  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Reed,  organiz- 
ing a  church  of  six  members  there,  July  4.  July  10,  Oliver 
Emerson  and  A.  B.  Hitchcock  gathered  a  church  of  eight  mem- 
bers at  De  Witt,  five  denominations  being  represented  in  the 
organization.  Two  records  of  the  minutes  of  this  year  indicate 
the  poverty  of  the  people,  and  their  dependence  on  the  Home 
Missionary  Society;  "Danville  pays  $100.00  for  the  support  of 
the  gospel.  Brighton,  $70.00  paid  toward  the  support  of  the 
pastor." 

Another  item  of  special  interest  is  the  action  of  the  Associa- 
tion at  Brighton,  October  6,  of  this  year:  "On  motion,  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  report  upon  the  expediency  of  taking 
incipient  steps  towards  the  foundation  of  a  college  in  the 
territory.  Brethren  Turner,  Norton,  Shedd,  and  Beach  were 
appointed  such  a  committee." 

We  read  that  the  spring  meeting  of  "The  Congregational 
Association  of  Iowa"  this  year  began  its  sessions  "at  the  house 
of  Brother  Hitchcock."  It  was  the  day  of  small  things,  and 
meeting-houses  had  not  yet  begun  to  be.  These  are  the  days 
of  which  Mr.  Reed  writes: 

It  is  difficult  at  this  day  even  for  those  who  are  familiar  with  those  times 
to  recall  things  as  they  then  were.  Many  of  the  settlers  were  from  Ken- 
tucky, Tennessee  and  North  Carolina,  and  among  them  some  excellent 
people.  And  there  were  representatives  of  the  so-called  "poor  white  trash" 
of  the  South,  who  kept  in  advance  of  civilization,  ready  to  sell  and  move 
on;  but  the  majority  of  the  settlers  were  from  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and 
New  York,  and  a  small  contingent  from  New  England.  The  settlers, 
as  a  body,  were  young  men  commencing  fife  without  means,  or  older  men 
who  had  been  unfortunate,  and  there  were  very  few  who  had  any  means 
who  had  not  exhausted  them  securing  their  claims,  building  cabins,  and 
5 


50  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

buying  their  teams,  so  that  almost  every  one  was  dependent  upon  his  own 
labor  for  his  daily  bread.  As  supplies  of  all  kinds  which  they  could  not 
procure  from  the  soil  came  from  a  great  distance,  and  were  wagoned  from 
the  river  into  the  interior,  they  were  expensive  and  beyond  their  means. 
Their  clothing  was  covered  with  patches,  and  frequently  was  faced  in  front 
with  buckskin. 

In  winter,  he  says,  men  sometimes  wore  two  or  three  pairs  of 
summer  pants,  and  hned  their  strawhats,  and  it  was  not  possible 
to  wear  clothes  so  patched  as  to  attract  any  attention  whatever. 
"They  lived  on  corn-bread,  bacon  and  coffee,  which  was  often 
of  corn  or  rye.  Their  wheat  was  trodden  out  on  the  ground, 
and  as  their  cheap  mills  had  no  appliances  for  cleaning  their 
wheat,  the  bread  partook  of  the  color  of  the  soil.  They  lived 
chiefly  in  cabins  made  of  unhewn  logs  which  were  'chinked' 
with  sticks  split  to  match  the  cracks,  which  were  driven  in 
and  held  in  place  by  wooden  pins,  then  covered  with  lime 
m  )rtar,  or,  if  that  could  not  be  obtained,  with  clay  or  mud. 
The  door  was  made  of  split  boards,  had  wooden  hinges  and  a 
wooden  latch,  and  opened  from  the  outside  by  a  string  which 
passed  through  the  door  a  little  above  the  latch.  To  lock 
the  door  it  was  only  necessary  to  pull  in  the  string.  'You 
will  always  find  the  latch  string  out,'  was  equivalent  to  saying 
'You  will  always  be  welcome.'  " 


Chapter   IV 
THE   IOWA   BAND,    1843-1844 

Thet  came  in  1S43.  Of  course,  there  had  been  a  long 
series  of  preparations  for  this  event.  Eleven  children  had 
been  born  and  reared  and  educated  and  touched  by  the  grace 
of  God,  and  called  into  the  gospel  ministry,  and  by  a  great 
compulsion  drawn  to  the  West.  Now  the  names  of  the 
Eleven,  in  the  order  of  their  ages,  with  places  of  nativity 
noted,  are  as  follows : — 

Harvey  Adams,  Alstead,  New  Hampshire;  Edwin  B. 
Turner,  Great  Barrington,  Massachusetts;  Daniel  Lane, 
Leeds,  Maine;  Erastus  Ripley,  Coventry,  Connecticut;  James 
J.  Hill,  Phippsburg,  Elaine;  Ebenezer  Alden,  Randolph, 
Massachusetts;  Benjamin  A.  Spaulding,  Billerica,  Massachu- 
setts; Alden  B.  Robbins,  Salem,  Massachusetts;  Horace 
Hutchinson,  Sutton,  Massachusetts;  Ephraim  Adams,  Xew 
Ipswich,  New  Hampshire;  William  Salter,  Brookhni,  New 
York. 

These  eleven,  college  men  every  one,  were  classmates  at 
Andover  Theological  Seminary.  Sometime  in  1842,  at  chapel 
service,  one  of  these  young  men,  obli\'ious  to  all  his  surround- 
ings, had  a  \'ision  of  the  great  needs  of  the  vast  West  of  which 
he  had  been  reading,  and  obedient  to  the  heavenly  vision 
responded,  "I'U  go,  I'U  go!" 

"Sometime  in  the  fall  of  1842,"  says  Harvey  Adams,  "an 
elder  in  Doctor  Beecher's  church  in  Cincinnati,  sent  an  appoint- 
ment to  the  Seminary  to  address  the  students  about  the  claims 
of  the  West.  Students  and  professors  gathered,  but  no  elder 
came.     Doctor  Woods,  Professor  Emerson  and  Prof.  B.  B. 

51 


52  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Edwards  took  the  platform.  Doctor  Woods  read  a  letter 
from  Uncle  Ira  Houston  of  Denmark.  Professor  Edwards, 
who  had  traveled  west,  said  he  had  no  doubt  that  those  who 
would  go  there  would  be  better  off  in  ten  years  than  if  they 
settled  in  New  England,  and  would  also  have  the  satisfaction 
of  laboring  where  they  were  more  needed.  Professor  Emerson 
said  bluntly  that  he  had  no  sort  of  doubt  that  it  was  the  duty  of 
more  than  two-thirds  of  the  students  to  seek  fields  of  labor 
outside  of  New  England."  Mr.  Adams  retired  from  that 
meeting  to  spend  a  sleepless  night  of  prayer  and  struggle, 
and  soon  came  to  the  resolve:  "I  am  for  the  West,  where 
needed,  and  where  most  needed!  " 

Early  in  the  spring  of  1843,  as  Lane,  Hutchinson  and 
Ephraim  Adams  were  out  on  a  tramp,  Hutchinson  first  sug- 
gested the  idea  of  a  band:  "If  we,  and  some  others  of  our 
classmates  could  only  go  out  together,  and  take  possession 
of  some  field  where  we  could  have  the  ground  and  work 
together,  what  a  grand  thing  it  would  be! " 

Now,  two  or  three,  and  then  a  larger  number  began  to  gather 
in  the  dark  for  prayer  and  conference,  in  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  library,  and,  as  they  prayed,  behold,  a  star  appeared, 
which  at  length  settled  low  over  the  unbroken  prairies  of  Iowa ! 

Daniel  Lane  was  the  first  to  speak  out  the  positive  word: 
"Well,  I  am  going  to  Iowa;  whether  anyone  else  goes  or  not, 
I  am  going!"  Ephraim  Adams  replied:  "And  I  think  I  will 
go  with  you!"  This  was  his  modest  way  of  saying:  "I  too, 
have  decided  to  go."  One  by  one  ten  others  decided  for 
Iowa;  though  there  was  one  of  the  ten  who  said,  "I  go,  sir," 
and  went  not. 

The  great  needs  and  opportimities  of  Iowa  were  called  to 
their  attention.  The  pioneers  on  the  ground  were  almost  in 
despair  because  the  people  were  rushing  in,  and  communities 
being  formed  by  the  scores  and  no  ministers  for  them.  "The 
New  Purchase,"  a  strip  of  one  million  two  himdred  and  fifty 
thousand  acres,  west  of  the  Black  Hawk  country,  was  oj^jened 


THE  IOWA  BAND,   1843-1844  53 

to  settlement  May  1  of  this  year,  1843.  It  was  just  as  Black 
Hawk  said:  "We  are  ordered  to  the  west  bank  of  the 
Mississippi,  there  to  erect  other  houses,  to  open  new  fields,  of 
which  we  shall  be  robbed  again  by  these  pale  faces."  Again 
the  remnants  of  the  Iowa  tribes  set  their  faces  toward  the  setting 
sun,  and  we  can  easily  fancy  that  we  hear  them  sadly  singing  as 
they  go: 

"They  waste  us!  Aye,  like  the  April  snow, 

In  the  warm  noon  we  shrink  away; 
And  fast  they  follow  as  we  go 

Toward  the  setting  day." 

There  was  a  great  rush  to  the  new  territory.  "It  seemed 
as  if  the  very  flood  gates  were  opened.  Every  main  road 
leading  to  the  promised  land  was  thronged  with  men,  women 
and  children."  Long  before  the  opening  of  the  New  Purchase 
crowds  were  gathered  on  the  borders.  Some  crossed  over 
and  enclosed  land  and  put  in  crops.  Many  stole  across  the 
line  and  staked  out  their  claims.  Dragoons  were  stationed 
at  points  along  the  line  to  keep  back  the  white  invaders. 
They  were  very  lenient,  however,  and  usually  gave  notice  to 
trepassers  that  they  were  coming,  so  that  they  could  get 
away  with  their  rails  and  log  cabins.  "Their  crops  were 
not  disturbed,  and  you  might  see  large  piles  of  rails  just  east 
of  the  line."  May  1  was  Monday.  The  day  began  at  mid- 
night. Thousands  of  people  along  the  line  were  awake, 
"up  and  dressed,"  and  ready  for  the  rush.  Rifle  shots 
announced  the  hour  for  the  scramble  to  begin.  By  lantern  and 
torch  light  men  staked  out  their  claims,  and  large  portions 
of  the  region  just  beyond  the  line  were  covered  before  day- 
hght.  Within  two  weeks  the  New  Purchase  had  a  population 
of  ten  thousand. 

These  events  did  not  escape  the  notice  of  the  patriarchs 
on  the  ground.  Mr.  Turner  was  almost  frantic  in  his  appeals 
to  the  officers  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society.  Here  is  a 
sample  of  his  communications: — 


54  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

I  have  done  all  I  could,  privately  and  publicly,  to  enlist  laborers  for  this 
field.  Since  my  residence  in  the  territory,  a  father,  an  old  man  of  sixty- 
three  years,  is  the  only  minister,  fresh  from  the  East,  who  has  dared  to 
cross  the  Mississippi.  I  hope,  as  he  has  gone  before  and  blazed  a  road, 
and  reached  his  destination  in  safety,  many  young  men  will  have  the 
moral  courage  to  follow.  The  farmer,  the  merchant,  the  mechanic,  the 
doctor  and  the  lawyer,  all  find  their  way  to  the  West,  led  on  by  interest. 
And  are  there  no  ministers  of  Christ,  led  on  by  the  love  of  souls?  Bur- 
lington, a  town  of  some  eighteen  hundred  inhabitants  has  twenty-six 
lawyers,  and  doctors  in  proportion,  but  no  Presbyterian  or  Congregational 
minister.  Every  little  town  in  the  territory  has  a-plenty  of  lawj'ers,  and 
scarcely  one  in  ten  has  a  minister  of  our  order.  During  the  five  years  in 
which  New  England  and  New  York  have  sent  but  one  minister,  who  has 
never  been  here  before,  Rome  has  sent  us  five,  and  I  think  more.  We 
need  some  eight  to  ten  men. now.  The  following  places  are  open,  viz: 
Keosauqua,  Farmington,  Washington,  Columbus  City,  Burlington,  Bloom- 
ington,  Edinburgh  and  Andrew.  Each  of  these  places  needs  now  a  Con- 
gregational or  Presbjiierian  minister.  A  man  is  also  needed  this  fall  for 
six  or  eight  counties  formed  on  the  West,  now  two  weeks  old,  and  having 
two  thousand  inhabitants. 

Great  was  the  gladness  of  good  Dr.  Milton  Badger  and  his 
associates,  down  in  the  rooms  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society, 
at  New  York  when  they  heard  of  this  large  accession  to  their 
missionary  force. 

Asa  Turner,  Agent  of  the  Society  in  Iowa,  said,  "Important, 
if  true."  Speaking  of  his  increduhty  as  to  their  coming, 
he  said:  "Their  letters  would  have  required  a  volume  to 
answer.  For  twelve  years  I  had  written  so  many  letters  to 
call  men  into  the  Western  Field,  that  I  had  about  concluded 
it  was  a  waste  of  time  and  paper.  I  had  so  often  heard  of 
ministers,  boxed  and  marked  'for  Iowa'  lost  on  the  road,  that 
I  had  lost  pretty  much  all  faith  in  spiritual  transportation 
companies.  I  did  not  really  believe  that  a  batch  of  them 
would  come." 

Here  is  one  of  Mr.  Turner's  letters  written  to  Ephraim 
Adams,  dated  Denmark,  I.  T.,  June  7,  1843: — 

I  am  happy  to  hear  that  a  reinforcement  from  Andover  is  talked  of. 
I  hope  it  will  not  all  end  in  talk,  but  I  fear.     I  have  received  so  many 


THE   IOWA   BAND,    1843-1844  55 

promises  of  the  kind,  that  they  do  not  now  even  begin  to  excite  a  hope. 
If  your  professor  should  write  and  say  that  the  whole  class  would  start  in 
a  mass  for  Iowa  in  two  weeks,  I  should  expect  to  see  one  or  two  of  them  in 
the  course  of  two  years  who  could  find  no  other  resting  place  for  the  soles 
of  their  feet. 

Don't  come  here  expecting  a  paradise.  Our  climate  will  permit  men  to 
live  long  enough,  if  they  do  their  duty.  If  they  do  not,  no  matter  how 
soon  they  die. 

Chances  for  health,  if  one  is  incUned  to  pulmonary  complaints,  I  think 
are  greater  than  in  New  England.  I  have  known  many  persons  improved 
by  a  residence  here.  We  have  some  two  hundred  people  connected  with 
our  society  here.  I  doubt  whether  one  in  fifty  has  ever  had  fever  and  ague. 
I  never  knew  so  much  good  health  for  so  long  a  time. 

Office  and  station  are  but  little  regarded  here.  People  will  not  speak  of 
you  or  to  you,  as  the  Rev.  Mr.  So-and-So,  but  will  call  you  simply  by  your 
name,  and  your  wife  Peggy  or  Polly,  or  whatever  her  name  may  be. 

He  closes  the  letter  as  follows: — 

Come  on,  brethren,  come  with  the  spirit  of  your  Pilgrim  Fathers,  and 
plant  their  principles  in  this  rich  soil.  Don't  be  ashamed  of  your  mother 
as  soon  as  you  cross  the  Alleghanies,  as  many  of  our  good  brethren  are, 
even  some  on  whom  she  has  put  honorary  titles.  The  principles  of  church 
government  planted  on  Plymouth  Rock  are  in  my  opinion  the  same  as 
taught  by  our  Saviour  and  his  Apostles,  and  I  am  free  to  wish  they  might 
spread  over  this  great  valley.  Give  my  love  to  all  that  little  band,  and 
their  intended  ones,  and  say  we  hope  soon  to  welcome  them  on  the  west 
side  of  the  great  Mississippi.     May  the  Lord  direct  your  way. 

Yours  in  Christian  Affection, 

Asa  Turner,   Jr. 

"But,"  he  adds,  "it's  no  use  to  answer  any  more  questions,  for  I  never 
expect  to  see  one  of  you  west  of  the  Mississippi  river  as  long  as  I  hve." 

In  a  letter  written  in  August,  he  appears  to  be  a  little  more 
hopeful  that  something  will  come  of  this  Andover  movement. 
He  wrote: — 

Come  prepared  to  expect  small  things,  rough  things,  Lay  aside  all 
your  dandy  whims  boys  learn  in  college,  and  take  a  few  lessons  of  your 
grandmothers,  before  you  come.  Get  clothes,  firm,  durable,  something 
that  will  go  through  the  hazel  brush  without  tearing.  Don't  be  afraid  of 
a  good,  hard  hand,  or  of  a  tanned  face.  If  you  keep  free  from  a  hard 
heart,  you  will  do  well.     Get  wives  of  the  old  Puritan  stamp,  such  a8  hou- 


56  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

ored  the  distaff  and  the  loom,  those  who  can  pail  a  cow,  and  churn  the 
butter,  and  be  proud  of  a  jean  dress  or  a  checked  apron. 

Tell  those  two  or  three  who  hink  of  leading  out  a  sister  this  fall,  we 
will  try  to  find  homes  as  good  as  Keokuk,  the  high  chief  and  his  lady  live 
in,  and  my  wife  v  ill  have  the  kettle  of  mush  and  the  johnny-cake  ready  by 
some  cold  night  in  November. 

By  September,  the  Iowa  brethren  are  convinced  that  prob- 
ably the  young  men  of  Andover  really  mean  business,  for, 
in  this  month.  Turner  and  Gaylord  make  a  three  weeks' 
tour  of  exploration  to  select  the  most  needy  and  promising 
fields  to  recommend  to  the  Band. 

Such  a  great  Home  Missionary  event  was  thought  worthy 
of  public  recognition.  September  3  a  great  meeting  was  held 
in  the  South  Church,  Andover;  sermon  by  Dr.  Leonard 
Bacon,  and  an  address  by  Dr.  Milton  Badger. 

Just  a  month  later  the  Band  by  appointment  was  at  Albany, 
New  York,  two  of  them,  Lane  and  Robbins,  counting  two  each 
by  feminine  attachment.  Wednesday,  October  4,  the  jour- 
ney to  the  West  began,  and  the  first  stage  of  it  was  by  rail. 
Sunday,  October  8,  was  spent  at  Buffalo,  some  of  the  young 
men  making  addresses;  and  Prof.  Truman  M.  Post,  of  Jack- 
sonville, Illinois,  was  there  also  to  set  forth  in  glowing  elo- 
quence the  opportunities  and  needs  of  the  great  West.  All 
aboard,  now,  this  Monday  morning,  bright  and  early,  on  the 
good  boat  "Missouri,"  bound  for  Chicago!  It  was  Sunday 
morning  before  they  reached  this  great  metropolis  of  the 
West,  which  at  that  time  had  a  population  of  about  eight  thou- 
sand. West  of  Chicago,  of  course,  they  took  the  Prairie 
Schooner  Route.  They  sighted  the  promised  land,  October 
23,  and  a  few  of  them  in  darkness  and  in  silence,  for  the  canoe 
was  loaded  down  to  the  danger  point,  passed  over  the  river 
into  Iowa.  Burlington  gave  them  a  right  royal  welcome, 
and  Denmark  opened  wide  all  her  cabin  doors  to  receive  them. 

Of  their  reception  at  Burlington,  Ephraim  Adams  writes : — 

The  hospitalities  of  that  entrance  to  Iowa  were  never  forgotten.  Then 
were  acquaintances  formed  and  friendships  begim  that  grew  and  strength- 


THE  IOWA  BAND,    1843-1844  57 

ened  in  after  yearfe.  There  was  at  that  time  in  Burlington,  a  veritable 
mother  in  Israel,  Mrs.  J.  G.  Edwards,  and  her  generous,  hearty  husband, 
the  founder,  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Burlington  Hawkeye.  Their 
Western  experience  enabled  them  to  see  what  these  young  men  whom  they 
took  to  their  home  had  before  them,  as  they  could  not.  Everything 
said  and  done,  seemed  to  be  out  of  the  motherly  heart,  full  of  joy,  yet 
serious  and  earnest  for  God's  place  and  the  work  in  hand.  The  hymn  for 
the  morning  worship  was  already  chosen: 

Kindred  in  Christ,  for  his  dear  sake, 

A  hearty  welcome  here  receive. 
May  we  together  now  partake, 

The  joys  which  only  He  may  give. 

The  Denmark  that  greeted  "The  Band"  consisted  of  a  few  scattered 
farmhouses  of  New  England  appearance;  and  convenient  thereto,  stood  a 
low,  broken-backed,  elongated  building,  compelled  as  yet  to  do  the  double 
service  of  school  and  meeting-house. 

The  Pilgrim  pioneers  out  here  to  welcome  the  Andover 
contingent  were  eight  ministers:  Turner,  Gaylord,  Reed, 
Emerson,  Holbrook,  Hitchcock,  Burnham,  and  Granger, 
a  licentiate;  and  fourteen  little  churches:  Denmark,  Danville, 
Fairfield,  Lyons,  Davenport,  Andrew,  Bentonsport,  Brighton, 
Farmington,  Clay,  Crawfordsville,  De  Witt,  Mt.  Pleasant, 
and  Washington,  the  total  membership  about  three  hundred, 
one  third  of  these  at  Denmark.  Dubuque  and  Burlington, 
then  in  the  Presbyterian  period  of  their  development,  are  not 
counted  in  this  list. 

Sunday,  November  5,  1843,  was  a  notable  day  at  Denmark. 
The  whole  country  was  astir.  Seven  young  preachers,  all 
in  a  bunch  from  Andover,  and  two  others  were  to  be  ordained ! 
Alden,  Ephraim  Adams,  Hutchinson,  Lane,  Salter,  Spaulding 
and  Turner,  are  the  Andover  men,  and  W.  A.  Thompson 
who  came  to  the  territory  about  the  same  time,  and  Charles 
Granger,  a  licentiate  who  had  come  in  July,  were  the  others. 
Harvey  Adams  and  Mr.  Robbins  had  been  ordained  in  the 
East.  Julius  A.  Reed  preached  the  sermon,  his  theme  being, 
"Prerequisites  to  Success  in  the  Gospel  Ministry."  Asa 
Turner  offered  the  ordaining  prayer,  Charles  Burnham  gave 


58  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

the  candidates  their  charge,  and  Reuben  Gaylord  gave  them 
the  right  hand  of  fellowship. 

It  was  an  occasion  of  great  interest.  The  house  was  crowded 
of  course.  It  was  a  day  of  great  rejoicing,  especially  among 
the  pioneer  ministers  of  the  Territory.  Mr.  Gaylord  said: — 
"Such  a  day  I  had  never  seen  before;  such  a  day  I  had  never 
expected  to  see  in  my  Hfetime.  The  most  I  could  do,  when 
alone,  was  to  weep  tears  of  joy,  and  return  thanks  to  God." 
Father  Turner  was  radiant.  He  said: — "For  three  weeks 
past,  I  have  felt  like  weeping  all  the  time.  My  heart  has 
overflowed.  0  what  a  week  we  have  had!  The  Lord  be 
praised!"  "I  felt,"  said  another,  "that  the  sight  of  that 
day  was  worth  almost  a  life.  The  accession  which  we  have 
received  is  beyond  our  hopes."  Even  Julius  A.  Reed  lost 
his  poise  in  the  enthusiasm  of  the  hour.  The  whole  thing 
was  too  good  to  be  true.  Nine  new  missionaries  actually 
on  the  ground,  and  two  others  on  the  way!  It  was  too  good 
to  be  true! 

By  what  ecclesiastical  body  were  these  young  men  ordained? 
I  had  supposed,  before  I  began  to  investigate,  that  they  were 
ordained  by  a  council  called  for  the  purpose.  Then  I  under- 
stood that  they  were  ordained  by  the  State  Association. 
Further  investigation  revealed  the  fact  that  they  were  not 
ordained  either  by  the  State  Association  or  by  a  council,  but 
by  the  Denmark  Association,  organized  two  days  before  the 
ordination. 

At  the  regular  meeting  of  the  General  Association  held 
at  Iowa  City,  September  14  and  15  of  this  year,  1843,  steps 
were  taken  to  divide  the  field  into  two  minor  associations, 
the  Iowa  River  being  the  dividing  line  between  them.  Asa 
Turner,  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  General  Association,  reports 
the  Denmark  Association  organized  November  3,  and  further 
states  the  first  official  act  of  the  Association  after  its  organi- 
zation was  the  ordaining  of  these  young  men.  The  North- 
ern Iowa  Association  was  organized  a  few  days  later. 


THE  IOWA  BAND,   1843-1844  59 

Now  here  is  a  delicate  piece  of  business,  the  placing  of  these 
men  in  a  Congregational  way.  The  young  men  were  willing 
to  place  themselves  in  Father  Turner's  hands  for  assignments, 
but  he  was  not  willing  to  accept  the  responsibility.  He  and 
Mr.  Gaylord  met  the  young  men,  spread  a  map  before  them, 
and  described  the  field,  and  then  retired,  leaving  them  to 
adjust  the  matter  among  themselves.  The  wonderful  thing 
"was  done  with  perfect  harmony  and  good  will,  and  quickly 
done,  without  an  unpleasant  word  or  a  jealous  thought;  and 
every  one  was  satisfied."  Hutchinson  inclined  to  Burlington, 
and  Harvey  Adams  to  Farmington.  A  man  from  Keosauqua, 
seeking  a  minister  for  that  place,  picked  out  Daniel  Lane. 
Bloomington,  now  Muscatine,  a  smart  town  of  four  hundred, 
seemed  to  be  the  place  for  one  of  the  brides  of  the  Band,  and 
so  Alden  B.  Bobbins  went  down  there  to  stay  a  little  while, 
say  fifty  years  or  more!  Out  in  the  New  Purchase,  in  the 
region  about  what  is  now  Ottumwa,  some  rough  work  was  to 
be  done.  Brother  Spaulding  said  he  would  as  soon  take 
that  field  as  any.  William  Salter  and  E.  B.  Turner  rather 
liked  the  idea  of  exploring  fields  to  the  north  in  Jones  and 
Jackson  Counties.  Ephraim  Adams  selected  Mt.  Pleasant, 
and  Mr.  Alden,  Solon. 

One  of  the  surprises  of  the  ordination  and  settlement  of  the 
Band  was  that  everything  should  go  the  Congregational  way. 
Father  Turner  in  his  correspondence  with  the  Band  had  scru- 
pulously avoided  the  question  of  church  polity.  When, 
near  the  time-  of  their  starting  West,  one  of  the  Band  asked 
him  directly  which  form  of  church  was  the  best  adapted  to 
the  West,  he  replied:  " Congregationahsm,  the  world  over!" 
Ephraim  Adams'  testimony  is: — "With  a  number,  when  they 
came  to  the  Territory,  the  matter  of  church  polity  was  an 
open  question.  There  had  been  no  conference,  by  which  any 
conclusion  or  agreement  had  been  reached  as  to  whether  they 
should  be  Congregationalists  or  Presbyterians.  The  feeling 
was  that  very  hkely  some  would  be  one,  and  some  the  other." 


60  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

At  Buffalo,  the  young  men  were  told  that  in  the  West, 
there  were  "none  but  Presbyterians  to  unite  with,"  which 
was  almost  true,  though  the  Congregational  renaissance 
movement  had  set  in.  After  they  were  on  the  ground,  no  one 
tried  to  influence  them  to  become  Congregationalists.  Meet- 
ing them  at  Burlington,  Father  Turner  told  them  that  "if 
they  wished  to  be  Presbyterians,  Presbytery  was  to  meet  at  such 
a  time  and  place,  if  Congregationalists,  the  Association  would 
meet  at  Denmark." 

Mr.  Reed's  comment  was  as  follows: 

It  was  not  known  to  which  body  any  one  of  them  would  attach  himself, 
but  I  expected,  from  the  past,  that  most  if  not  all,  would  apply  to  Presby- 
tery for  ordination.  What  made  this  supposition  still  more  probable,  was 
that  most  of  the  Congregational  body  were  known  as  radical  anti-slavery 
men,  and  were  not  in  high  repute  among  their  own  mother's  children  on 
account  of  the  same.  To  our  surprise,  all  who  had  not  been  ordained  at 
the  East,  asked  to  be  set  apart  to  the  gospel  ministry,  by  the  Association. 
I  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  nothing  was  said  by  any  Congregation- 
alist  from  first  to  last  to  influence  their  decision  on  this  subject.  I  recollect 
distinctly  that  when  we  dispersed  after  the  adjournment  of  the  Associa- 
tion, I  knew  the  denominational  preference  of  only  two  of  the  whole  Band . 
One  disclosed  his  preference  by  a  casual  remark,  and  the  other  by  a 
question.  I  still  supposed  that  the  Band  sought  ordination  by  the  Associa- 
tion for  convenience  sake,  and  that  their  denominational  relations  were  not 
yet  determined. 

Three  of  the  Band,  ordained  by  a  Congregational  Asso- 
ciation, took  charge  of  Presbyterian  churches.  It  was  ex- 
pected that  these  certainly  would  become  Presbyterians,  but 
instead  of  this  the  churches  became  Congregafional. 

There  were  two  Presbyterian  churches  at  Muscatine  when 
Mr.  Robbins  arrived.  The  New  School  church  was  organ- 
ized by  Rev.  John  Stocker,  a  New  England  Congregationalist 
in  the  employ  of  the  A.  H.  M.  S.,  July  6,  1839.  All  parties 
felt  that  a  union  was  desirable,  but  the  Old  School  could  not 
unite  with  the  New  School,  and  the  New  School  could  not 
unite  with  the  Old  School,  so  they  did  the  sensible  thing, 
they  united  in  the  formation  of  the  Congregational  church, 


THE   IOWA  BAND,    1843-1844  61 

and  Mr.  Robbins  had  nothing  to  do  about  it.  He  expressed 
regret  when  he  heard  that  the  matter  was  being  discussed, 
lest  he  should  be  censured  for  it.  The  date  of  this  organiza- 
tion is  November  29,  1843. 

The  Burlington  church  was  largely  Congregational  in  its 
constituency  from  the  start,  and  there  was  a  Congregational 
element  in  the  community  that  would  not  unite  with  the 
Presbyterians,  so  it  was  the  thing  to  be  expected  that  on  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  Hutchinson,  the  change  should  be  made.  This 
was  done  by  unanimous  vote,  December  28,  1843.  ''Only 
one  member,  a  lady,  stood  aloof  on  account  of  the  change." 

At  Keosauqua,  Daniel  Lane  could  not  in  good  conscience 
leave  the  discipline  of  the  church  to  the  Session,  as  he  counted 
this  one  of  the  prerogatives  of  the  whole  church.  Rather 
than  lose  their  pastor,  they  voted  unanimously  to  make  the 
change.  So  the  unexpected  came  about,  that  within  a  few 
months  every  member  of  the  Band  should  be  fixed  in  his 
field  as  a  pronounced  Congregational  minister. 

The  coming  of  the  Band  was  an  event  of  far  reaching 
significance  and  importance.  It  put  new  hope  and  courage 
into  the  hearts  of  the  patriarchs  already  on  the  ground. 
"They  at  once,"  says  Mr.  Reed,  "doubled  our  ministerial 
strength,  supplied  our  destitute  churches  and  occupied  new 
and  important  fields.  It  was  no  longer  a  question  whether 
Congregationalism  was  to  live  west  of  the  Mississippi.  Bonds 
of  union  with  New  England  were  formed  and  channels  of 
information  were  opened  which  secured  foi  us  the  confidence 
and  sympathy  of  the  Congregationalists  of  the  country,  and 
have  enabled  us  to  obtain  men  and  means  for  our  various 
enterprises  to  a  cheering  extent." 

In  another  connection,  speaking  of  the  same  matter,  Mr. 
Reed  says: 

In  addition  to  the  various  labors  which  the  Band  performed  during  these 
many  years,  there  was  one  thing  which  the  providence  of  God  permitted 
them,  rather  than  their  brethren  to  accomplish.  They  settled  the  ques- 
tion that  Congregationalism  was  to  become  a  power  in  Iowa,  and  indeed 


62  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

in  the  West,  and  was  to  enjoy  the  sympathy  and  ad  of  Eastern  churches. 
It  was  claimed  that  Western  CongregationaUsts  who  refused  to  become 
Presbyterian  were  unsound  in  the  faith,  or  were  "radicals,"  a  synonym  for 
everything  bad,  and  as  the  parties  accused  were  little  known,  and  as  names 
were  rarely  given,  these  charges  could  not  be  disproved. 

But  this  Band  represented  six  states  and  eight  colleges;  graduates  of 
Andover,  whose  soundness  in  the  faith,  at  that  time  none  questioned, 
banded  together  for  Iowa,  holding  their  parting  meetings  in  the  Old  School 
church  at  Andover,  and  making  their  journey  westward  together,  and 
speaking  on  the  Sabbath  at  Buffalo  and  Chicago,  they  attracted  as  much 
attention  throughout  the  north  as  a  like  party  now  would,  if  on  their  way 
to  Central  Africa.  Their  orthodoxy  could  not  be  assailed.  It  was  danger- 
ous to  call  them  cranks,  and  a  good  share  of  New  England  at  once  gave 
their  confidence  and  sympathy  to  Iowa  Congregationalism. 

How  the  Illinois  brethren  regarded  the  event,  appears  in 
the  following: 

A  band  of  Congregationalist  ministers  went  out  from  Andover  beyond 
the  Mississippi  and  commenced  planting  Congregational  churches  before 
the  robins  had  arrived  there,  and  before  the  prairie  wolves  had  received 
a  formal  notice  to  leave.  In  Illinois  it  was  not  so.  Our  first  churches  were 
Presbyterian.  For  years  New  England  people  were  coaxed  into  Presby- 
terian enclosures,  marked  with  "P,"  and  claimed  as  original  Presbyterian 
"dyed  in  the  wool."  This  subjected  us  to  complications  from  which  our 
Iowa  brethren  were  free. 

The  coming  of  the  Band  had  the  immediate  effects  already 
described.  What  larger  results  spring  from  their  coming,  for 
they  came  to  spend  their  lives  in  Iowa,  this  narrative  will, 
in  part,  unfold,  for  the  men  of  the  Band  have  a  place  on  almost 
every  page  of  our  history  from  1843  up  to  the  present  hour. 

The  middle  of  November  found  nine  of  the  members  upon 
their  fields  of  labor.  In  the  year  previous  to  their  coming, 
May  14,  a  church  of  fourteen  members  had  been  formed  at 
Bentonsport  and,  November  10,  the  preliminary  steps  had  been 
taken  for  an  organization  at  Maquoketa.  The  Maquoketa 
record  begins  as  follows:  "In  1840,  Father  Turner  visited 
the  settlement  and  promised  aid  from  the  Home  Missionary 
Society  and  that  a  minister  of  the  gospel  should  be  sent  there," 


THE   IOWA   BAND,   1843-1844  63 

During  the  summer  of  the  same  year  Father  Emerson,  the 
first  Congregational  minister  to  do  so,  preached  occasionally 
to  the  people.  Those  services  were  undenominational,  and 
were  held  in  the  sod-covered  sanctuary.  The  date  of  organi- 
zation recognized  in  our  later  Minutes  is  November  30,  as 
on  the  evening  of  that  day  "a  few  Christian  friends  met  in 
the  house  of  John  Shaw  and  agreed  to  unite  as  a  church 
organization."  The  earlier  Minutes  made  the  date  December 
10,  at  which  time  the  organization  was  perfected  under  the 
leadership  of  the  first  pastor,  William  Salter,  "The  govern- 
ment of  the  church  was  semi-Presbyterian,  being  administered 
by  two  elders.  The  meetings,  however,  were  open  to  the 
presence  and  advice  of  all  the  members  of  the  church." 

Father  Emerson  claims  that  the  Northern  Association 
too,  had  a  hand  in  the  organization  of  the  Maquoketa  church. 
He  writes: — "The  past  quarter  has  marked  the  formation 
of  the  Congregational  Association  of  Northern  Iowa.  The 
meeting  was  held  at  the  Forks  of  the  Maquoketa,  where  Bro- 
ther Salter  is  located.  Those  present  were  Salter,  E.  B. 
Turner,  Robbins  and  myself.  We  organiz  d  a  church  of 
eight  members  and  also  the  Association.  The  body  is  designed 
to  embrace  the  Congregational  ministers  and  churches  north 
of  the  Iowa  River." 

As  we  have  a. ready  seen,  Brother  Robbins'  Presbyterian 
church  at  Bloomington,  on  the  29th  of  November  of  this 
year,  blossomed  out  into  Congregationalism,  to  be  a  fragrant 
plant  forever. 

Probably  the  "Congregational  Renaissance"  is  more  marked 
in  Iowa  than  anywhere  else.  Turner,  Reed,  Gaylord  and 
Holbrook  were  Congregationalists  to  the  core.  All  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Band  were  now  committed  to  the  Congregational 
way.  It  was  really  the  wish  of  all  the  workers  that  every- 
thing be  done  according  to  the  Congregational  rule  and 
order.  But  there  was  pressure  from  the  outside  in  the  direc- 
tion of  organic  union  with  the  Presbyterians.     The  Home 


64  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Missionary  Society  favored  it.  Somehow  Stephen  Peet  was 
anxious  that  Iowa  should  adopt  the  Wisconsin  plan  and  came 
over  to  use  his  influence  to  this  end.  The  Iowa  brethren 
were  willing  and  anxious  to  join  hands  with  the  Presbyterians 
upon  some  equitable  basis  of  union.  An  elaborate  plan  of 
union  was  adopted  by  the  Associa  ion  in  the  fall  of  this  year, 
but  it  takes  two  to  make  a  bargain.  To  our  artistic  and 
melodious  piping  the  Presbyterian  brethren  would  not  dance. 
Perhaps  these  strict  Calvinists  had  conscientious  scruples 
against  the  practice.  The  great  plan  of  union  is  embalmed 
in  the  Minutes  of  1843,  as  many  another  royal  mummy  lies 
buried  in  this  great  mausoleum,  our  State  Minutes. 

Of  course,  Mr.  Reed  has  some  remarks  to  make  upon  this 
episode.     He  says: 

The  Presbytery  met  and  had  the  report  under  consideration,  but  they 
never  made  any  communication  to  the  Association  respecting  it  and  never 
recognized  officially  the  advances  of  the  Congregationahsts.  These  efforts 
to  secm-e  a  union  show  the  animus  of  the  Congregationahsts  of  Iowa  tow- 
ard Presbyterianism.  They  never  were  the  propagandists  that  they  have 
been  represented  to  be.  What  objections  to  the  plan  proposed  were  enter- 
tained by  the  Presbyterians,  I  have  never  heard,  but  it  is  manifest  that 
no  plan  would  have  been  acceptable  to  them,  which  did  not  involve  a 
surrender  of  Congregationalism. 

The  Congregationahsts  of  Iowa  rejoice  that  their  offer  was  rejected, 
and  only  regret  that  all  plans  of  union  between  Congregationahsts  and 
Presbyterians  have  not  met  with  the  same  treatment.  To  be  sure,  the 
rejection  of  this  plan  was  not  very  courteous,  but  all  that  is  forgiven  and 
forgotten  in  their  joy  that  it  was  rejected. 

Eighteen  hundred  and  forty -four  was  a  busy  year  of  planning 
and  planting,  and  seed  sowing  and  harvest.  J.  J.  Hill  of  the 
Band,  detained  in  the  East  by  the  sickness  and  death  of  his 
father,  came  on  in  the  spring  of  this  year,  and  took  away  Hol- 
brook's  boast  that  there  was  no  minister  between  him  and  the 
north  pole,  by  settling  at  Garnavillo,  and  taking  possession 
of  Clayton  County. 

Erastus  Ripley,  remaining  for  a  time  at  Andover,  as  the 


THE  IOWA  BAND,   1843-1844  65 

"Abbott  Resident"  of  the  Seminary,  now  began  his  work  as  a 
missionary  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society,  at  Bentonsport. 

All  the  other  members  of  the  Band  were  heard  from  during 
the  year.  Bro.  Ephraim  Adams  writes  from  Mt.  Pleasant: 
"  I  am  in  a  town  of  some  five  hundred  inhabitants.  I  wish, 
if  possible  to  gather  a  church,  and  make  this  a  center  of  influ- 
ence for  the  surrounding  country."  A  church  had  been  organ- 
ized three  years  before;  it  was  now  so  small  and  weak  that 
Brother  Adams  thought  it  hardly  worth  coufiting.  Harvey 
Adams  reports  that  "it  has  rained,  more  or  less,  more  than 
forty  days  and  forty  nights,  but  three  Sunday  schools  have 
been  established  and  an  infidel  converted."  This  was  the 
beginning  of  the  end  of  the  Abner  Kneeland  influence  in  that 
region.  Mr.  Alden  of  Tipton  reports  the  organization  of  a 
church  of  three  members.  "This  appears  like  a  day  of  small 
things,"  he  says,  "yet  we  hope  to  see  here  a  flourishing  church, 
exerting  a  salutary  influence  upon  the  whole  surrounding 
country."  The  hope  of  the  founder  has  been  realized  in  the 
work  and  influence  of  the  Tipton  church. 

Mr.  Hutchinson  of  Burlington  writes:  "I  came  here  about 
the  first  of  November.  Our  congregations  have  nearly  trebled 
since  I  came.  The  church  numbered  eighteen;  at  our  first 
communion  four  joined  us.  At  the  reorganization  of  the 
church  others  came,  and  at  our  last  communion  six  more 
united,  making  our  present  number  thirty-two.  Eight  or 
ten  more,  we  hope,  will  join  us  at  our  next  communion,  though 
the  prejudice  of  education  may  prevent  some.  We  need  a 
house  of  worship  much.  Our  congregation  would  soon  be 
more  than  double,  if  we  had  a  good  place  of  meeting." 

Daniel  Lane  reports:  "In  Keosauqua  it  is  becoming  more 
popular  among  certain  classes  who  frequent  the  sanctuary," 
and  that  at  his  other  appointments  all  sorts  of  people,  "Chris- 
tian, infidels  and  worldings, ' '  attend  the  services. 

One  visiting  Bloomington,  now  Muscatine,  this  year,  says: 
"You  look  in  vain  for  the  least  sign  of  a  church;  and  the 

6 


66  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

bell  of  the  boat  sounds  tenfold  more  like  your  'church-going' 
bell  at  home,  than  any  you  will  hear  for  years  to  come,  if  you 
tarry  this  side  of  the  'Father  of  Waters.'  There  are  those 
here  whose  eyes  fill  with  tears  at  the  sound  of  that  bell,  remind- 
ing them  of  the  church  bells  of  New  England." 

Mr.  Robbins  says:  "There  are  more  than  seven  hundred 
people  in  the  town,  and  there  is  no  meeting-house  in  the  place, 
except  a  small  Romish  chapel,  which  is  opened  only  occasion- 
ally. For  several  Sabbaths  after  my  arrival  I  preached  at 
the  court-house.  There  are  connected  with  the  church 
twenty-four  members,  eleven  males.  We  are  all  poor,  but  we 
are  hoping  and  working.  They  have  hired  a  small  room  for 
which  we  are  obliged  to  pay  $50.00  a  year,  and  also  furnish 
benches,  etc.  It  is  essential  that  we  should  immediately 
erect  a  house." 

Brother  Salter  reports  from  Maquoketa: — "The  prospects 
of  this  field  are  encouraging;  the  attendance  at  meeting 
increases  every  month;  the  little  log  house  we  occupy  at  this 
place  is,  on  pleasant  Sundays  crowded,  and  sometimes,  some 
are  not  able  to  get  in.  In  different  settlements  are  six  Sunday- 
schools,  and  about  one  hundred  scholars.  Large  emigration 
is  coming  into  Northern  Iowa  this  year."  Northern  Iowa 
then  was  Jones,  Jackson,  Dubuque  and  Linn  counties. 

Mr.Spaulding's  reports  this  year  are  voluminous  but  of 
romantic  interest.  He  was  at  Agency,  Ottumwa,  and  the 
regions  beyond,  on  the  very  verge  of  civilization.  In  plain 
sight  were  the  dismantled  lodges  of  Appanoose  and  Wapello, 
and  not  far  away  was  the  grave  of  Black  Hawk  and  the  graves 
of  hundreds  of  his  people. 

"This  field,"  says  Mr.  Spaulding,  "lies  entirely  in  that  tract  of  coun- 
try which  was  possessed  by  the  Indians  till  the  first  of  May,  1843.  Their 
frail  dwellings,  slight  fences,  beaten  trails  and  newly  made  graves  are  still 
seen;  and  they  are  often  passing  and  repassing,  carrying  away  corn  which 
has  been  raised  on  their  fields,  and  sometimes  lingering  about  their  old 
hunting  grounds,  as  if  unwilling  to  leave  a  land  which  has  been  so  long 
their  home.     Meanwhile,  the  busy  hand  of  civiUzation  is  hewing  down 


THE   IOWA   BAND,    1843-1844  67 

their  forest  trees,  erecting  mills  upon  their  rivers,  and  dividing  the  country 
into  farms." 

Whittier's  lines,  all  but  "The  Jesuit's  chapel  bell,"  fit  into 
his  experience: 

I  hear  the  far-off  voyager's  horn, 

I  see  the  Yankee's  traU — 
His  foot  on  every  mountain  pass, 

On  every  stream  his  sail. 

I  hear  the  mattock  in  the  mine, 

The  axe-stroke  in  the  dell, 
The  clamor  from  the  Indian  lodge, 

The  Jesuit's  chapel  bell. 

1  see  the  swarthy  trappers  come 

From  Mississippi's  springs; 
And  war  chiefs  with  their  painted  brows; 

And  crests  of  eagle  wings. 

Behind  the  scared  squaw's  birch  canoe. 

The  steamer  smokes  and  raves; 
And  city  lots  are  staked  for  sale. 

Above  old  Indian  graves. 

■'The  beauty  and  fertiUty  of  the  country,"  says  Mr.  Spaulding,  "the 
abundance  of  timber  and,  above  all,  the  facilities  offered  to  the  manufac- 
turer by  the  Des  Moines,  its  branches  and  the  neighboring  streams,  are 
drawing  together  a  population  which  will  soon  surpass  that  of  most  other 
portions  of  the  Western  country. 

"This  population  is  a  mixed  multitude  gathered  from  all  parts  of  the 
United  States,  possessing  every  degree  of  intelUgence  from  the  liberally 
educated,  to  the  most  ignorant,  and  belonging  to  almost  every  rehgious  sect 
in  Christendom,  besides  including  many  who  boast  that  they  are  infidels. 

"The  greatest  obstacle  in  my  way  has  been  a  want  of  suitable  places  for 
meeting.  There  are  as  yet,  no  public  buildings  of  any  kind  in  my  whole 
field  of  labor,  with  the  exception  of  a  single  small  schoolhouse;  and  pri- 
vate dwellings  are  often  inconvenient  and  cold.  Dwelling  houses  are 
always  open  for  preaching,  and  so  far  is  this  from  being  regarded  as  a  sac- 
rifice, it  is  often  esteemed  a  privilege  even  by  those  who  are  not  professors 
of  religion.  At  one  place  the  congregation  was  so  large  that  they  could 
not  be  accommodated  in  an  unusually  large  dwelling,  but  were  obliged  to 
meet  in  a  neighboring  grove,  so  that  their  house  was  literally,  'a  house 
not  made  with  hands.' 


68  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

"  The  congregation  assembled  was  not  a  company  of  wild  hunters  and 
ruffians,  with  their  rifles  in  their  hands,  but  a  collection  of  intelligent  and 
well  dressed  famihes  from  the  older  states,  and  even  the  Atlantic  shore, 
whose  personal  appearance  and  respectful  conduct  would  not  suffer  from 
a  comparison  with  many  congregations  that  I  have  seen  within  forty  miles 
from  Boston." 

And  still  later,  summing  up  the  work  of  the  first  year,  he 
says : — 

It  has  been  the  most  interesting  year  of  my  life.  I  have  preached  in 
about  thirty  different  places.  Six  of  these  were  under  the  charge  of  some 
of  my  brethren,  one  in  the  Indian  country,  and  the  remainder  in  the  limits 
assigned  to  my  care.  At  some  of  these  places  I  have  preached  but  once, 
at  some  twice,  at  others  more,  and  at  some  eight  or  ten  times  each.  Within 
these  limits  two  Congregational  chiu-ches  have  been  formed.  I  have 
travelled  about  two  thousand  and  five  hundred  miles  during  the  year, 
chiefly  on  horseback.  I  have  been  in  journeyings  often,  in  perils  of  waters, 
in  perils  in  the  wilderness,  in  weariness  and  painfulness,  in  hunger  and 
thirst,  and  in  cold.     But  in  all  this,  I  joy  and  rejoice,  and  even  glory. 

Here  is  an  account  of  his  visit  to  Fort  Des  Moines,  the 
beginning  of  our  capital  city: — 

A  few  weeks  since,  I  visited  "Raccoon  River  Agency,"  nearly  one  hun- 
dred miles  from  this  place,  and  thirty  or  forty  from  the  Une  which  divides 
this  from  the  country  at  present  occupied  by  the  Indians.  Nearly  a  mile 
from  this,  on  the  point  between  the  Raccoon  and  the  Des  Moines,  is  a 
garrison  consisting  of  about  one  hundred  soldiers  and  five  commissioned 
officers.  The  whole  population,  in  the  settlement,  is  not  far  from  two 
hundred.  On  the  Sabbath  I  preached  to  as  many  of  these  as  could  be 
crowded  into  a  single  room,  officers,  soldiers,  merchants,  mechanics,  farm- 
ers, gentlemen,  ladies,  children  and  servants,  both  black  and  white. 

E.  B.  Turner  reported  his  missionary  tours  and  the  discovery 
of  many  homesick  Christians  in  lonely  pioneer  homes.  He 
said : — 

I  did  not  travel  a  day  in  which  I  did  not  find  Christians  who  welcomed 
me  to  the  country  and  their  homes.  Some  of  them  had  come  from  the 
land  of  the  Pilgrims,  and  had  Uved  here  for  years  without  hearing  a  single 
sermon.  One  old  lady  I  foimd  of  about  seventy  years  of  age,  from  Con- 
necticut. You  can  better  imagine  than  I  can  describe  the  joy  which 
beamed  from  her  countenance  at  the  sight  of  a  New  England  minister. 


THE  IOWA  BAND,    1843-1844  69 

"Especially,"  said  she,  "do  I  rejoice  to  see  one  from  Andover."  In  the 
whole  circuit  which  I  have  travelled,  I  have  found  twenty  or  twenty-five 
professors,  Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians,  with  their  letters  from 
three  to  six  years  old. 

To  show  you  the  anxiety  that  Christians  feel  here  on  the  subject  of 
forming  churches,  and  promoting  Christ's  kingdom,  I  have  only  to  state 
that  two  of  the  men  who  assisted  in  forming  this  church  (one  being  over 
fifty  and  the  other  over  sixty),  came  twelve  miles  on  foot,  and  that,  too, 
when  the  walking  was  exceedingly  bad.  We  have  at  present  no  house  of 
worship.  There  is  some  talk  of  putting  up  one  for  this  church  next 
summer. 

Of  course,  John  C.  Holbrook  was  heard  from.  For  years 
no  missionary  in  the  country  reported  more  often  or  at  greater 
length  than  he.     He  says: — 

The  church  was  originally  formed  on  the  Presbyterian  model,  and  its 
modest  and  unfinished  house  of  worship  was  heavily  mortgaged.  Those 
on  whom  I  thought  I  could  depend  for  help  were  Congregationalists,  and 
would  not  feel,  I  thought,  any  special  interest  in  the  case.  But  just  then 
an  event  occurred  which  solved  the  difficulty.  There  was  but  one  ruling 
elder,  and  he  had  become  very  unpopular  by  reason  of  his  dictatorial 
spirit.  He  sought  to  be  emphatically  a  ruling  elder,  and  involved  the 
church  in  debt.  There  was  then  a  young  man  in  the  church,  who  after- 
wards entered  the  ministry  and  went  as  a  Home  Missionary  to  CaUfornia, 
and  later  became  the  very  eflicient  superintendent  of  the  missions  of  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society  in  that  state.  Seeing  no  way  of 
relieving  the  church  from  its  embarrassment  under  the  ruling  elder,  the 
young  man  referred  to  made  a  motion  at  a  business  meeting,  that  all  the 
members  of  the  church  should  be  elected  rufing  elders!  This  was  carried 
and  presto,  the  body  was  transformed  into  a  Congregational  church.  It 
soon  after  became  such  formally,  and  in  fact. 

According  to  Mr.  Reed  the  motion  was  "that  we  resolve 
ourselves  into  a  Congregational  church  for  six  months,  and 
that  we  all  make  ourselves  ruling  elders."  This  was  December 
12,  1844.  The  young  man  referred  to  was  James  H.  Warren, 
for  nearly  fifty  years  missionary  and  Superintendent  of 
Home  Missions  in  California. 

Congregational  Iowa  of  1844,  as  indeed  all  the  Western 
world,  is  sketched  in  vivid  outline  and  color  in  a  report  of  a 


70  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

trip  to  the  Mississippi  Valley,  by  Secretary  Joseph  S.  Clark 
of  Massachusetts.  At  Cleveland  he  met  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Hicks,  of  Chicago,  to  whom  he  remarked:  "When  I  get 
to  your  place,  I  suppose  I  shall  be  at  the  West."  "Oh,  no," 
said  he,  "I  have  to  ride  a  week  from  my  place  before  I  get 
to  the  point  where  they  start  to  go  West." 

Coming  up  the  Mississippi,  he  found  the  river  in  places 
twenty-seven  miles  broad,  and  houses  and  cattle  afloat. 
Passing  Hamburg,  he  inquired  of  the  Captain  if  there  was 
any  fever-and-ague  in  the  place.  The  response  was  that  there 
was  nothing  else.  From  Quincy  he  reported  eleven  Congre- 
gational churches  in  Illinois,  and  adds:  "There  appears  to 
be  a  strong  feeling  of  distrust  between  the  Presbyterian  and 
Congregational  ministers." 

At  Burlington  there  was  a  population  of  about  twenty- 
five  hundred.  He  attended  a  Whig  Convention  at  which 
about  six  hundred  lunched  together.  Preaching  for  Brother 
Hutchinson  on  Sunday,  he  made  this  comment:  "There  is 
much  indifference  to  public  worship,  and  much  caprice 
among  the  hearers.  I  tried  to  convince  them  that  the  gospel 
is  worth  what  it  costs."  He  found  Bloomington  a  village 
of  about  a  thousand,  and  Brother  Robbins  and  people  are 
taking  out  the  stumps  for  the  foundation  of  a  church  building. 
"The  contributions  for  the  meeting  house,"  he  says,  "are 
mostly  in  form  of  building  materials  and  labor;  very  little 
money.  I  find  it  a  melancholy  fact  that  many  New  England 
people  in  these  parts  do  but  httle  to  aid  the  gospel."  One 
man  asked  to  subscribe  for  the  meeting-house  said  "he  would 
give  five  dollars  toward  tearing  it  down." 

He  and  Doctor  Robbins  took  a  trip  of  thirty  miles  to  Tipton 
and  found  Brother  Alden  "pleasantly  situated,  boarding  in 
a  tavern  in  the  small  room  which  was  lodging,  study  and  all, 
contented  with  his  lot,  in  good  spirits  and  doing  good.  His 
church  has  three  members.  They  meet  in  the  jail  for  wor- 
ship." 


THE  IOWA  BAND,    1843-1844  71 

He  found  Davenport  "a  beautiful  part  of  the  country,  but 
the  village  stationary."  At  Galena,  he  finds  Mr.  Kent's 
church  with  two  hundred  and  sixty  members.  "Brother 
Kent  and  others  think  Brother  Holbrook  ought  to  be  appointed 
an  Agent  of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  to  labor 
in  this  mining  district  embracing  parts  of  Illinois,  Wisconsin 
and  Iowa;  to  preach  to  new  settlements,  organize  churches, 
and  locate  ministers.  I  doubt  the  expediency,  but  will  com- 
municate with  the  Executive  Committee  at  New  York." 

He  reported  a  population  of  eighteen  hundred  at  Dubuque. 
"Preached  Sunday,"  he  says,  "for  Brother  Holbrook,  to  a 
congregation  of  about  two  hundred  gathered  from  seven 
nations  (namely,  English,  Irish,  Scotch,  lYench,  German, 
Canadian,  and  United  States);  and  those  of  this  nation  com- 
ing together  from  fourteen  states  and  belonging  to  six  different 
denominations." 

From  nearly  all  the  reports  of  the  year,  there  is  a  call  for 
suitable  places  of  worship.  These  appeals  in  due  time  find 
a  response  in  the  organization  of  the  Church  Building  Society. 
Denmark  Academy,  chartered  February  3,  1843,  is  this  year, 
February  23,  1844,  brought  into  real  existence  by  the  organi- 
zation of  the  board  of  trustees. 

This  year,  too,  there  are  foregleams  of  Iowa  College.  As 
early  as  1838,  Gaylord  and  his  associates  at  Yale  had  talked 
of  the  college  they  hoped  to  found  in  Iowa.  Probably  it 
was  in  1842  that  Ephraim  Adams  at  Andover  said  to  his 
associates,  "If  each  one  of  us  can  only  plant  one  good  perma- 
nent church,  and  all  together  build  a  college,  what  a  work  that 
would  be!"  A  little  more  to  the  purpose  is  the  remark  of 
Asa  Turner  to  Julius  A.  Reed  (this,  also,  in  1842),  "We  must 
take  steps  to  found  a  college." 

In  October  of  this  year,  as  we  have  seen,  the  matter  was 
taken  up  by  the  Association.  "At  the  close  of  one  of  the 
first  meetings  held  at  Denmark  after  the  arrival  of  the  Band," 
says  Mr.  Adams,  "they  were  invited  to  tarry  a  few  moments 


72  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

and  listen  to  plans  for  founding  a  college.     A  little  surprised 
were  they,  and  not  a  little  gratified." 

March  12,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Denmark,  of  ministers 
and  others  interested  in  founding  a  college.  "The  plan  pro- 
posed was  to  find  a  tract  of  land  subject  to  entry,  in  some 
good  location,  and  obtain  funds  for  its  purchase,"  thus  securing 
endowment  for  the  college.  A  suitable  location  was  the 
first  item  of  importance  in  the  program.  A  committee  of 
exploration  was  appointed,  with  J.  A.  Reed  chairman.  The 
committee  acted  promptly  and  selected  a  spot  on  the  Wapsi- 
pinecon,  where  the  flourishing  city  of  Independence  now  stands. 

The  committee  acted  promptly,  after  again  caUing,  April  16, 
a  convention  of  Congregational  and  New  School  Presbyterian 
ministers  to  hear  the  report,  and  take  such  steps  as  the  case 
demanded.  There  was  a  general  attendance  of  the  parties 
invited.  The  report  was  favorably  received  and  adopted,  and 
an  Association  formed  under  the  title,  "Iowa  College  Association," 
and  Father  Turner  was  appointed  Agent  to  go  East  and  raise 
$30,000  to  be  invested  in  this  land  for  the  endowment  of  the 
college.  Mr.  Turner  went  at  once  to  Boston,  and  laid  the 
matter  before  prominent  men  of  the  East,  Lyman  Beecher, 
Edward  Beecher,  Milton  Badger,  Theron  Baldwin,  Doctor 
Kirk,  and  others,  but  they  were  not  favorable  to  the  proposi- 
tion. They  turned  it  down.  They  thought  there  was  a 
smack  of  speculation  in  the  scheme.  They  "recommended 
that  a  good  location  should  first  be  secured,  the  best  for  the 
college,  irrespective  of  other  considerations;  that  donations 
should  be  called  for  outright,  and  that  the  institution  trust 
to  the  patronage  of  the  Education  Society  and  of  friends 
whose  liberal  endowments  could  eventually  be  secured." 
So  the  scheme  was  abandoned,  and  the  great  opportunity  lost. 
What  if  Iowa  College  had  at  that  time  preempted  Independ- 
ence and  the  surrounding  country! 

This  year,  1844,  witnesses  the  death  of  Abner  Kneeland, 
apostle  of  infidelity  in  the  Des  Moines  valley,  and  also  that 


THE   IOWA  BAND,    1843-1844  73 

of  Joseph  Smith,  the  founder  of  the  Mormon  sect;  and  this 
year,  the  State  Association  send  a  request  to  Governor  Cham- 
bers to  appoint  a  day  of  Thanksgiving,  and  resolved,  also, 
that  "In  case  the  Governor  declines,  we  recommend  the 
churches  to  observe  the  last  Thursday  in  December  as  such." 
The  governor  acted  upon  the  suggestion  of  the  Association. 


Chapter  V 
"OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"   1845-1849 

The  Patriarchs  and  the  Band  have  largely  occupied  these 
pages  up  to  this  point,  and  they  will  continue  to  have  a  prom- 
inent place,  but  other  laborers  are  coming  in,  and  now,  from 
this  time  on,  while  these  earlier  workers  will  not  be  in  the 
background,  they  will  be  in  the  minority. 

The  Patriarchs,  the  Band,  and  other  workers,  have  reached 
out  in  the  influence  of  their  organized  institutions,  planting 
churches  here  and  there,  as  far  north  as  "Sodom  and  Gomor- 
rah" on  the  verge  of  the  "Neutral  Grounds";  and  as  far  west 
as  Oskaloosa,  and  Knoxville,  and  they  are  even  beginning  to 
touch  a  little  the  incipient  City  of  Des  Moines. 

Eighteen  hundred  and  forty-five  was  a  year  of  progress,  but  it 
was  a  year  of  unusual  sickness  and  mortality,  especially  along 
the  Des  Moines  river,  and  not  a  few  of  the  early  settlers  return 
to  their  earlier  homes.   The  Home  Missionary  Secretaries  report: 

Friends  of  missions  will  share  with  us  the  affliction  which  we  feel,  in 
the  prostration  of  some  of  our  valued  missionary  brethren.  Rev.  Asa 
Turner  of  Denmark,  after  recovering,  as  was  supposed,  from  an  attack 
of  lung  complaint  a  year  ago,  is  now,  as  we  learn,  again  laid  aside,  with 
diminished  prospects  of  restoration  to  health.  Rev.  Horace  Hutchinson 
of  Burlington,  has  been  obhged  to  resign  his  charge  and  is  setting  his  house 
in  order  with  the  prospect  of  ere  long  entering  upon  the  service  of  the 
Saviour  in  a  higher  sphere. 

Another  of  that  Band  had  been  obliged  to  suspend  his  labors 
temporarily  on  account  of  enfeebled  health. 

Nevertheless,  the  work  moved  on.  Everywhere  people 
were  coming  in  and  improvements  were  being  pushed  forward. 
From  Burlington  came  the  word:  "The  countrj'^  around  us  is 

74 


''OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"    1845-1849  75 

filling  up.  Miles  of  new  fence  have  been  put  up  this  season, 
upon  all  the  roads  leading  into  town." 

Dubuque  reported:  "The  growth  of  our  town  during  the 
past  season  has  been  greater  than  in  any  preceding  year  of 
its  history;  and  it  is  conceded  on  all  hands  that  it  is  destined 
to  be  a  populous  city,  and  a  place  of  extensive  trade.  The 
surrounding  country  is  also  filling  up,  and  it  will,  unquestion- 
ably be  covered  with  a  dense  population. 

"The  government  has  appropriated  $14,500  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  harbor,"  and  "has  expended  $18,000  in  improving 
the  great  'Mihtary  Road,'  as  it  is  called,  leading  from  this 
place,  via  Iowa  City,  to  the  Missouri  line.  The  rivers  and 
creeks,  as  well  as  the  worst  sloughs,  are  now  mostly  bridged, 
with  substantial  structures;  and  an  avenue  of  trade  and  com- 
munication between  this  place  and  the  country  has  been  opened 
that  will  be  of  advantage  to  both." 

Keokuk  took  up  the  refrain  and  prophesied:  "All  business 
men  appear  to  agree  in  the  belief,  that  this  must  speedily 
become  a  large  town,  and  that  in  a  very  few  years  it  will  be 
one  of  the  principal  places  of  business  between  St.  Louis  and 
Galena." 

This  year  church  buildings  began  to  appear.  At  the  time 
of  the  coming  of  the  Band,  the  only  Congregational  houses  of 
worship  in  the  territory  were  those  at  Denmark  and  Fairfield, 
both  of  these  of  the  plainest  and  cheapest  sort,  the  former  cost- 
ing perhaps  $500  and  the  other  $300.  Now,  here  were  two 
more,  a  slight  improvement  on  these,  one  at  Cascade,  and  the 
other  at  Muscatine.  No  description  of  the  house  at  Cascade 
can  be  found,  but  Brother  Turner  reported,  "Since  we  opened 
our  new  house  of  worship,  our  congregations  have  been  con- 
siderably larger,  and  are  gradually  increasing."  The  house 
at  Muscatine  was  "a  little  brick  building  at  the  top  of  the  hill 
among  the  stumps."  "It  is  22x40  and  costs  about  $900. 
It  was  at  "the  time  the  best  Congregational  church  edifice 
in  Iowa."     Mr.  Robbins  wrote  of  this  building:  "It  is  small 


76  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

but  built  by  home  effort,  and  it  is  neat  and  comfortable.  We 
have  advanced  thus  far  in  opposition  to  the  prejudices  of 
many,  and  without  a  farthing  of  assistance  from  several  of 
the  most  wealthy  men  of  the  place,  the  ones  who  will  be  most 
profited  in  a  pecuniary  sense." 

Brother  Harvey  Adams  of  Farmington,  was  happy  in  the 
use  of  "  the  new  ware-room."  "  This  has  been  all  that  we  could 
ask  for,  as  a  place  of  worship,  neat,  commodious,  warm,  with 
good  seats  and  a  pulpit."  What  more  could  a  preacher  want? 
"Immediately  on  holding  meetings  for  worship  here,  our  con- 
gregation was  enlarged,  so  that  we  have  more  than  a  hundred, 
usually  in  the  mornings,  and  sometimes  more  than  two  hun- 
dred." 

Churches  this  year  were  organized  at  Long  Creek,  January 
15,  this  being  the  first  of  our  Welsh  churches;  also  at  Eddyville, 
January  31.  This  of  course,  is  part  of  Brother  Spaulding's 
field.  Mr.  Reed  assisted  in  the  organization.  Revivals, 
conversions  from  the  ranks  of  infidehty,  and  ingatherings,  are 
reported  from  Dubuque,  Fairfield,  Farmington,  Keosauqua, 
Bentonsport,  and  other  places.  Brother  Lane  of  Keosauqua 
made  report:  "A  few  years  ago,  the  most  popular  class  of 
society  here  were  the  disciples  of  Abner  Kneeland.  This  state 
of  the  community  does  not  now  exist.  Infidelity  now  is  almost 
dead.  The  strength  of  the  giant  power  is  gone.  These  re- 
marks apply  to  all  the  prominent  towns  on  the  Des  Moines 
River." 

Really  pathetic  was  the  rejoicing  of  Brother  J.  J.  Hill  at 
Garnavillo.  "At  our  last  communion,  we  had  the  addition 
of  one  to  our  church  by  profession.  It  was  the  first  accession, 
and  it  was  a  memorable  day  for  our  little  Zion.  Tears  of 
gratitude  and  joy  stood  in  many  eyes." 

In  September  of  this  year  Denmark  Academy  was  open  for 
instruction,  Albert  Sturgis,  teacher.  This  year  our  first 
Home  Missionary  Agent  was  appointed.  Asa  Turner  had 
acted  as  Agent  a  good  deal  of  the  time,  since  coming  to  the 


"OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"    1845-1849  77 

state,  but  he  had  done  the  work  in  connection  with  his  pastorate 
at  Denmark.  Now  the  work  demanded  the  whole  time  and 
strength  of  a  strong  man.  The  Iowa  brethren  were  ambitious. 
They  asked  the  New  York  secretaries  to  appoint  to  the  posi- 
tion Rev.  Joseph  S.  Clark  of  Boston,  then  secretary  of  the 
Massachusetts  Home  Missionary  Society.  He  could  not  be 
persuaded  that  "the  Massachusetts  of  the  West"  was  better, 
so  the  second  choice  of  the  brethren  was  Julius  A.  Reed. 
Securing  the  appointment,  in  October,  of  this  year,  he  removed 
to  Davenport,  then  a  village  of  seven  hundred  inhabitants, 
to  be  near  the  center  of  operations.  The  field  at  this  time  was 
a  narrow  strip  along  the  river,  and  Davenport  was  fairly 
central. 

Brother  Adams  gives  us  a  picture  of  the  Agent's  outfit: 
"  His  vehicle  was  a  top  buggy,  a  top  high  and  lifted  up,  a  marvel 
for  those  days.  His  horse  was  milky  white;  and  almost  as  a 
ship  at  sea  with  its  white  T\dnged  sails,  he  went  sailing  over  the 
prairies.  His  craft  seen  at  a  distance  was  known  and  hailed 
everywhere."  He  was  the  man  for  the  time,  and  for  the  serv- 
ice. Thoroughly  educated,  of  pioneer  instincts,  seasoned  by 
service,  a  man  of  afifairs,  of  a  judicial  turn  of  mind,  careful 
and  accurate  in  all  his  statements,  and  a  man  of  vision,  he 
was  an  ideal  man  of  the  time  and  place.  Under  his  leader- 
ship from  1845  to  1857  more  than  sixty  churches  were  organ- 
ized. Mr.  Reed  is  succeeded  at  Fairfield  by  Rev.  W.  A. 
Thompson,  graduate  of  Yale,  ordained  with  the  Band  at 
Denmark,  and  after  that  located  at  Troy  in  Davis  County, 
pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  there. 

Eighteen  hundred  and  forty-six  has  its  lights  and  shadows. 
This  too,  is  a  "sickly  season."  Early  in  the  year  comes  the 
first  break  in  the  missionary  ranks  occasioned  by  death.  For 
months  Horace  Hutchinson,  of  consumptive  tendencies,  had 
faced  the  fact  that  his  time  of  service  would  be  short.  At 
first,  he  was  not  availing  that  it  should  be  so.  He  said:  "I 
wish  to  live;  I  have  just  begun  to  live;  all  before  has  been 


78  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

preparative,  and  when  I  think  of  the  things  that  must  and  will 
be  done  in  the  churches  in  Iowa,  and  in  the  West,  during  the 
next  twenty  years,  oh,  I  long  to  be  here  and  an  actor  in  it!" 

Early  in  the  winter  it  became  evident  that  his  work  was 
done.  "Accordingly  he  proceeded  to  set  his  house  in  order, 
and  with  calm  and  confiding  faith,  wore  out  the  months  of 
lingering  decay,  until  the  7th  of  March  when  he  obtained  his 
release." 

In  Iowa,  March  has  always  been  the  harvest  month  of  the 
"reaper  whose  name  is  Death."  "The  workmen  die  but  the 
work  goes  on."  But  who  is  to  take  Hutchinson's  place? 
What  fitter  man  than  his  comrade  in  arms,  William  Salter, 
up  there  at  the  Forks  of  the  Maquoketa? 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  Congregational  Church  and  Society 
of  Burlington,  held  at  the  usual  place  of  worship  on  Sabbath 
afternoon,  March  15,  1846,  it  was  resolved  that  the  church 
and  society  invite  the  Rev.  William  Salter  to  become  pastor 
of  the  church." 

In  his  reminiscences  Mr.  Salter  says,  "I  now  preached 
farewell  sermons  at  Andrew  and  Maquoketa  and  early  in  April 
removed  to  Burlington,  not  knowing  the  things  that  should 
befall  me  there."  The  things  that  befell  him  there  covered  a 
space  of  sixty-four  years.    He  was  installed  December  30,  1846. 

This  year  still  better  church  buildings  were  completed  and 
dedicated.  The  first  of  the  year  was  that  at  Dubuque.  "It 
was  of  brick,  40  x  56,  and  cost  $3,000.  The  date  of  the  dedi- 
cation, according  to  Mr.  Reed,  was  June  29.  Doctor  Holbrook 
however,  in  his  recollections  says:  "We  completed  our  new 
house  of  worship  without  debt,  and  at  the  dedication  I  preached 
a  historical  sermon,  which  was  printed  by  request  of  some  lead- 
ing citizens.  It  was  delivered  in  April,  1846,  four  years  after 
my  settlement." 

Undoubtedly  "The  Recollections  of  a  Nonagenarian"  are 
at  fault.  There  is  pretty  conclusive  evidence  that  the  "his- 
torical sermon"  referred  to  was  not  the  sermon  of  the  dedi- 


"OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"   1845-1849  79 

cation  at  all;  and  that  the  date  of  its  delivery  was  not  in  April, 
but  in  March.  On  the  title  page  of  this  sermon,  a  copy  of  which 
is  in  my  possession,  is  a  communication  from  citizens  of 
Dubuque  dated  March  24  in  which  they  speak  of  their  pleasure 
in  listening  to  the  "Anniversary  Discourse,  delivered  in  the 
Congregational  Church,  Sunday,  the  22d  inst."  Without 
much  doubt  the  correct  date  is  that  given  by  Mr.  Reed.  Any- 
how the  Dubuque  people  were  in  their  new  building,  free  from 
debt  in  the  early  part  of  1846.  So  also  later  this  year,  the 
Denmark  people  were  comfortably  housed.  Writing  to  the 
Home  Missionary  Mr.  Turner  said: 

Our  house  of  worsliip  is  63  x  45.  We  have  been  long  engaged  in  build- 
ing it,  for  we  can  obtain  means  only  as  we  earn  them.  One  man,  a  com- 
mon farmer,  has  built  nearly  one-third  of  what  has  been  done.  His  time 
and  every  possible  means  he  could  acquire  has  been  devoted  to  it  for  almost 
two  years.  I  speak  much  of  a  house  of  worship;  you  do  not  know  how 
I  feel  about  it.  For  almost  sixteen  years  I  have  preached  in  something 
but  little  better  than  a  bam.  One  cause  of  my  poor  health  has  been  my 
preaching  in  the  confined  air  of  our  present  place  of  worship.  It  is  almost 
the  height  of  my  worldly  ambition  to  be  permitted  to  preach  in  a  com- 
fortable house. 

When  Father  Turner  made  this  report,  he  did  not  expect 
that  the  house  would  be  finished  for  several  months,  but  Mr. 
Epps,  who  had  done  so  much  already,  said  it  should  be  finished 
at  once  if  it  took  his  farm.  The  dedication  was  July  8,  and 
the  building  cost  about  $4,000. 

Later  in  the  year,  a  church  building  costing  about  $6,000 
was  dedicated  at  Burlington.     Of  this  Mr.  Salter  says: 

It  is  now  nearly  four  years  since  the  foundations  of  this  house  were 
laid.  In  the  meanwhile,  varied  feelings  of  hope,  anxiety,  and  despair 
have  at  times  filled  the  breasts  of  the  church,  and  taunts  and  reproaches 
have  reached  us  from  the  world.  By  the  completion  of  our  church,  which 
is  very  neat  and  pleasant,  our  cause  is  placed  on  a  firmer  and  more  prom- 
ising basis. 

I  was  installed  pastor  of  the  church  and  society  on  the  30th  of  December. 
The  exercises  of  the  occasion  were  extremely  interesting,  and  a  good  im- 
pression seems  to  have  been  made  by  them  upon  the  community. 


80  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

The  churches  organized  this  year  are,  Old  !Man's  Creek 
(Welsh),  Ottumwa,  Big  Woods  (Anamosa),  and  Colony 
(Colesburg). 

Mr.  Reed's  account  of  the  Ottumwa  organization  is  as  fol- 
lows: 

In  1843,  Ottumwa  had  no  existence,  and  the  Sac  and  Fox  Indians  owned 
the  soil.  Mr.  Spaulding's  parish  included  Agency  City,  Ottumwa,  Eddy- 
ville,  and  Oskaloosa,  and  during  his  first  year  he  preached  at  twenty-three 
points  in  his  field,  and  once  at  the  New  Indian  Agency,  one  mile  east  of 
Des  Moines.  He  organized  a  church  of  four  members  at  Agency  City, 
May  10,  1844.  The  only  sur\-i\'ing  member  of  this  church  in  1858  was 
Patsy,  a  slave  who  had  been  set  at  hbertj'  by  General  Street  who  was  in 
command  at  the  Agency. 

The  Anamosa  church  began  its  historj-  under  the  title:  "The  Congre- 
gational Church  of  Big  Woods,"  taking  its  name  from  a  large  body  of 
timber  on  the  Wapsipinecon.  As  early  as  1840,  there  was  quite  a  settle- 
ment here,  and  Rev.  Thomas  P.  Emerson  ministered  to  the  people,  and  at 
least  partially  organized  a  little  church.  But  the  work  came  to  an  end, 
because,  as  the  records  say:  "One  of  the  emissaries  of  Satan  raised  a 
slanderous  report  against  Mr.  Emerson  which  entirely  destroyed  his 
influence.  [A  committee  of  the  Association  after  careful  examination, 
gave  him  complete  \'indication.] 

No  further  attempt  to  organize  a  church  was  made  until  1844,  when 
Rev.  E.  Alden,  Jr.,  of  the  Iowa  Band,  visited  Big  Woods  and  preached  at 
one  or  two  points  in  the  neighborhood.  Through  his  agency,  a  church 
was  organized,  but,  in  consequence  of  the  incongruity  of  the  materials  of 
which  it  was  composed,  it  made  no  progress,  and  at  the  end  of  less  than  two 
years,  it  was  dissolved. 

In  the  spring  of  1846,  Rev.  Alfred  Wright  appeared  upon 
the  scene.  "He  found  a  few  Presbyterians  desirous  of  enter- 
ing into  church  relations."  These,  to  the  number  of  six,  met 
at  the  house  of  Mr.  Wright,  to  take  the  initial  steps  for  the 
organization.  Strange  to  say  this  company,  Presbyterians 
every  one  of  them,  including  the  minister,  resolved  to  organize 
a  Congregational  church,  concluding  that  the  congregational 
form  of  church  government  would  perhaps  be  better  adapted 
to  the  region,  and  the  church  would  perhaps  be  better  supplied 
with  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  if  Congregational  rather  than 


"OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"    1845-1849  81 

Presbyterian.  In  view  of  these  considerations  they  were  more 
than  wilHng  to  adopt  the  Congregational  mode.  The  record 
states  moreover,  that  "One  of  the  members,  a  leading  man, 
had  a  little  before  attended  a  meeting  of  the  General  Associa- 
tion of  Iowa,  and  was  fully  satisfied  that  a  Congregational 
church  would  do  for  the  West,  and  especially  for  Big  Woods." 
The  church  continued  the  original  title  until  1854,  when  it 
was  changed  to  "The  Congregational  Church  of  Christ  at 
Anamosa."  Mr.  Wright  served  the  church  as  pastor  for  seven 
years. 

This  year  Denmark  came  to  self-support,  but  largely  at  the 
expense  of  the  pastor,  for  his  salary,  all  told,  is  cut  down  to 
$300.00. 

One  of  the  standing  conundrums  of  our  Congregational 
Iowa  history  is:  "How  much  Home  Missionary  aid  did  the 
Denmark  church  receive?"  Brother  Adams  says  $700; 
Julius  A.  Reed  says  $266.  The  total  amount  received  from  the 
Society  was  $1,466,  but  $1,200  of  this  amount  came  to  Father 
Turner  as  remuneration  for  his  services  as  Agent  of  the  Home 
Missionary  Society.  For  sixteen  months  he  was  a  missionary 
of  the  Society  and  received  for  that  service  $266  which  is  the 
amount  Mr.  Reed  counts  as  given  by  the  Society  to  the 
Denmark  church.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  whole 
amount,  $1,466,  should  be  charged  to  the  church,  for  even 
with  that  aid,  the  pastor's  support  was  pitifully  small.  In 
1842  the  church's  part  in  the  pastor's  support  was  only  $200; 
in  1843,  $250;  in  1844,  $200  again.  These  are  the  figures  of 
Mr.  Reed. 

Within  sixteen  months  after  coming  to  self-support,  the 
church  was  in  arrears  a  whole  year,  and  Mr.  Turner  was  obUged 
to  borrow  money  to  support  his  family.  Thinking  that  dis- 
satisfaction with  him  might  be  the  occasion  of  this  slow  pay 
and  no  pay  at  all,  he  resigned.  This  brought  the  church  to 
their  feet,  and,  in  a  manner,  to  his  feet.  The  vote  requesting 
him  to  remain,  was  practically  unanimous,  there  being  only 

7 


82  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

two  opposing  votes.  One  man,  pro-slavery  in  sentiment, 
accused  Father  Turner  of  calling  "one  of  God's  institutions 
hard  names." 

The  pay  of  the  people,  however,  was  largely  in  "produce" 
and  promises.  Mr.  Reed  says  of  this  time:  "His  people 
made  an  effort  to  pay  arrearages  and  pledged  themselves  to 
give  notes  thereafter  if  they  could  not  pay  the  money  when 
due.  He  once  related  to  me  with  his  peculiar  amused  smile, 
how  the  church  treasurer,  who  had  paid  him  and  also  the 
janitor  some  of  these  notes,  brought  to  him  one  which  the 
janitor  could  not  collect,  and  wished  to  exchange  with  him  for 
one  that  he  could  collect.  He  made  the  exchange  and  enjoyed 
it."  This  is  no  reflection  on  the  Denmark  church  of  the  early 
times.     Their  burdens  were  very  great. 

We  had  our  first  glimpse  of  Bellevue  on  that  Sunday  of  June, 
1836,  when  Aratus  Kent  preached  the  first  sermons  ever 
preached  in  the  community.  In  early  times,  the  town  was 
notorious  for  its  lawlessness.  It  was  the  rendezvous  of  horse- 
thieves,  counterfeiters,  and  all  sorts  of  disreputables.  To 
clean  out  this  element  the  better  citizens  were  obliged  to 
resort  to  arms,  and  so  bloody  and  fatal  was  the  encounter,  that 
the  incident  was  called  the  "Bellevue  War." 

Of  course,  this  was  one  of  Father  Emerson's  appointments. 
Holbrook  from  Dubuque  supphed  occasionally,  once  having 
in  his  audience  a  prisoner,  in  chains,  condemned  to  death  for 
murder,  and  Mr.  Holbrook  improved  the  occasion.  Doctor 
Salter  preached  here  the  last  Sabbath  of  1843,  one  of  his  audi- 
tors commenting;  "It  was  a  divihsh  sermon."  In  1843, 
Brother  Keith,  Salter's  successor  at  Maquoketa,  made  arrange- 
ments to  supply  here  one-third  of  the  time.  Then  came 
William  Coleman.  In  him  the  brethren  had  a  problem  for 
he  came  from  that  heretical  school,  Oberlin!  But  ministers 
were  scarce  and  they  gave  him  welcome,  just  as  we  have  wel- 
comed many  a  good  heretic  since.  The  Bellevue  Church  is 
one  of  Brother  Coleman's  monuments.     While  here,  so  tra- 


''OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"    1845-1849  83 

dition  has  it,  Governor  Briggs  applied  to  him  to  put  in  proper 
form  a  Thanksgiving  Proclamation,  and  he  did  it,  of  course, 
he  did  it. 

The  year  1847,  marked  the  beginning  of  our  work  for  the 
Germans  in  Iowa.  There  was  need  enough  for  it.  Prairie 
La  Porte  had  its  name  changed  to  Guttemburg.  No  reader 
needs  to  be  told  the  occasion  for  the  change.  The  river  towns 
were  filling  up  with  Germans. 

Our  first  German  missionary,  Peter  Fleury,  from  the  Canton 
of  Saas,  Switzerland,  scholar,  linguist,  traveler,  evangelical 
and  evangelistic  preacher,  was  the  man  for  the  service.  He 
made  his  first  missionary  journeys  on  horseback,  map  and 
compass  in  hand,  and  everywhere  found  the  Germans  a  scat- 
tered flock  without  a  shepherd. 

He  reported:  "  I  preach  every  Sabbath  morning  at  Dubuque, 
and  every  afternoon  or  evening  in  the  country.  Sunday  even- 
ings I  wished  to  spend  in  different  families,  but  the  people  are 
so  poor  that  I  could  not  find  lodgings  for  myself  nor  shelter 
for  my  horse.  In  my  wanderings  I  met  a  nice  looking  boy 
about  twelve  years  of  age  who  could  speak  English  pretty 
well.  I  asked  if  there  were  Germans  living  near.  'Yes, 
in  yonder  wood  are  many  families.'  'Of  what  religion  are 
they?'  'I  do  not  know.'  'Of  what  religion  are  you?'  'I 
do  not  know.'  'Do  you  know  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ?'  'I 
never  heard  his  name.'  'Do  you  never  pray?'  'No,  I  never 
learnt  it.'" 

December  28  of  this  year,  Iowa  comes  to  the  dignity  of  state- 
hood with  Iowa  City  as  capital.  This  was  part  of  our  singing 
geography  lesson  in  my  boyhood:  "Iowa,  Iowa  City,  on  the 
Iowa  River."  One  of  our  missionaries,  name  withheld,  report- 
ing to  the  "Home  Missionary"  in  1847  furnishes  an  unhand- 
some photograph  of  our  first  legislature:  "The  first  legislature 
of  the  state  of  Iowa  adjourned  on  the  25th  of  February,  after 
having  been  in  session  nearly  three  months.  If  what  every- 
body says  is  to  be  believed,  it  was  a  continued  scene  of  angry 


84  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

turmoil,  selfish  ambition,  mean  intrigue,  low  vulgarity  and 
open  dissipation.  Such  is  the  testimony  of  all  observers." 
Perhaps  this  missionary  set  the  ethical  standards  for  the 
legislature  beyond  the  reach  of  practical  attainment. 

Iowa  College,  still  "a,  disembodied  spirit,"  sought  now  a 
"local  habitation."  "Select  first  the  best  location,"  said  the 
wise  men  of  the  East.  At  the  June  meeting  of  the  College 
Association,  Davenport,  beautiful  for  situation,  fairly  central 
to  the  constituency  of  the  college  in  those  days,  was  selected, 
"provided  the  citizens  would  raise  $1400  and  secure  certain 
specified  grounds  for  a  location."  At  this  meeting  each  mem- 
ber of  the  Association  present  pledged  himself  to  raise,  if 
possible,  $100  among  eastern  friends  or  elsewhere.  It  was  at 
this  meeting  that  J.  J.  Hill  placed  a  dollar  on  the  table  saying, 
"Now  appoint  your  trustees  to  take  care  of  that  dollar  for 
Iowa  College."  Davenport  citi25ens  pledge  $1,362  cash,  and 
thirteen  lots.  The  trustees  were  instructed  to  plan  and  erect 
a  building,  "which  shall  be  a  permanent  college  building,  in 
good  taste,  and  which  when  enclosed,  shall  not  exceed  in 
cost,  the  sum  of  $2,000."  Trustees  and  members  of  the 
College  Association  pledged  themselves  to  make  up  any  defi- 
ciency in  the  construction  of  the  building  up  to  the  amount 
of  $600. 

This  year,  churches  organized  were,  the  Flint  Creek  (Welsh), 
Bellevue,  and  the  Dubuque  (German). 

In  1848,  ten  years  after  the  organization  of  the  first  church, 
the  churches  numbered  forty,  and  the  ordained  ministers 
thirty-two,  with  three  licentiates,  and  the  total  church  mem- 
bership was  1,131.  The  General  Association,  organized  in 
1840,  was  divided  into  two  minor  associations,  the  Denmark, 
and  the  Northern  Iowa,  the  last  named  in  the  territory  north 
of  the  Iowa,  but,  of  course,  bordering  the  Mississippi. 

Father  Turner  was  still  at  Denmark,  as  he  will  be  for  twenty 
years  more.  What  he  was  about  just  now,  the  following  report 
will  show: 


"OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"    1845-1849  85 

A  large  proportion  of  our  Congregation  are  professing  Christians.  The 
last  revival  left  scarcely  any  adults  who  did  not  express  a  hope  in  Christ. 
We  have  in  a  circuit  of  some  three  or  four  miles  from  our  meeting  house, 
five  places  where  we  attend  meetings  regularly.  Some  of  our  members 
aid  in  conducting  them,  when  I  am  not  able  to  be  there.  I  preached  last 
week  five  times  in  the  settlements  around,  besides  preaching  at  home  on 
the  Sabbath.  *I  have  an  appointment  for  tonight  and  tomorrow  night, 
if  I  am  able  to  attend. 

The  church,  the  largest  in  the  state,  had  a  membership 
of  123. 

Reuben  Gaylord  was  still  at  Danville  where  he  was  to  be 
eight  or  nine  years  more.  He  gives  us  a  realistic  picture  of  the 
efforts  of  the  pioneers  to  build  the  College.  Under  date  of 
January  8,  he  writes  of  a  journey  to  Davenport  to  attend  a 
meeting  of  the  trustees  of  Iowa  College: 

I  left  home  January  3.  The  mud  was  so  deep  I  had  to  go  on  horseback. 
It  turned  cold  and  froze  during  the  night,  and  in  the  morning  I  rode  over 
to  Bloomington  which  I  reached  about  sunset.  Stayed  with  Brother 
Robbins  over  night,  and  the  next  day  had  a  cold  ride  to  Davenport.  Found 
Brothers  Reed  and  Adams  well.  As  not  enough  of  trustees  came  together 
to  make  a  quorum,  we  transacted  no  business,  but  adjourned  to  meet  in 
the  same  place  on  the  16th  of  March.  The  college  building  we  are  erect- 
ing will  be  a  very  substantial  one,  and  will  look  well.  It  is  36  x  55  feet. 
We  are  anxious  to  have  it  complete  and  ready  for  occupancy  by  October 
or  November  next.  If  we  had  the  requisite  funds,  we  might  soon  make 
this  institution  a  center  of  influence.  I  promised  to  send  up  SIO.OO  toward 
meeting  the  present  emergencies.  The  obligations  of  benevolence  expand 
in  importance  daily. 

Oliver  Emerson,  the  "Gospel  Ranger"  is  now,  as  he  has 
been  for  years,  going  up  and  down  the  river,  on  both  sides  of 
it,  ministering  to  the  people  everywhere,  and  gathering  them 
into  churches,  Congregational  some  of  them,  but  many  of 
them  union  churches.  Just  now  he  is  residing  at  Sabula. 
He  moved  from  Davenport  to  Sabula  in  1841;  then,  from  1843 
to  1847,  resided  at  De  Witt,  and  then  returned  to  Sabula, 
where  he  continued  to  reside  until  1855. 

Just  now,  too,  he  is  a  missionary  of  the  American  Missionary 


86  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Association.  He  started  out  in  1841  under  the  auspices  of 
the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  but  in  1843,  he  got 
the  idea,  as  so  many  others  did,  that  this  Society  was  in  com- 
pUcity  with  slavery  because  it  would  not  refuse  aid  to  churches 
in  which  there  were  slaveholders  and  men  with  pro-slavery 
principles.  He  refused  the  help  of  this  society,  and  for  two  years 
lived  almost  at  the  point  of  starvation,  depending  for  support 
on  people  as  poor  as  himself;  then  the  American  Missionary 
Association  came  to  his  relief. 

His  own  comment  upon  this  incident  of  his  life  is:  "When  I 
became  a  Home  Missionary,  I  was  dissatisfied  with  the  position 
of  the  Society  on  that  subject.  I  at  once  began  laboring  with 
the  Society  to  induce  them  to  require  their  missionaries,  espe- 
cially in  the  slave  states,  to  treat  slaveholding  as  they  did 
other  gross  public  offences.  Failing  in  this,  in  July,  1843,  I 
renounced  my  commission,  continuing  my  work  as  best  I 
could  without  missionary  aid.  In  1846  I  first  received  aid 
from  the  American  Missionary  Association,  or  the  Union 
Missionary  Society,  as  it  was  then  called.  I  was  nearly,  or 
quite,  the  first  Home  Missionary  receiving  aid  from  that 
quarter.  This  relation  continued  until  after  slavery  was 
dead,  and  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society  had  taken 
the  position  I  had  long  before  begged  them  to  take." 

John  C.  Holbrook  was  still  at  Dubuque,  as  he  had  been  for 
nearly  six  years.  Of  course,  he  was  very  busy,  preaching, 
holding  evangelistic  meetings,  writing  for  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary, the  New  York  Observer,  the  Boston  Recorder,  the 
Independent,  etc. 

Eighteen  hundred  and  forty-seven  was  the  year  of  the  great 
revival,  as  a  result  of  which  there  were  sixty  accessions  to  the 
church  on  confession,  and  nineteen  by  letter.  This  year,  too, 
the  church,  having  received  aid  from  the  Home  Missionary 
Society  for  six  years,  and  to  the  amount  of  $1,200  came  to  self- 
support,  and  during  the  year  contributed  $76.83  to  this  Society. 
$118.55  to  the  American  Board,  and  $40.00  to  the  Bible  Society. 


DR.  F.  <;.  WOODWORTH 


MISS  MARY  C.  COLLINS 


DR.  HKNRY  S.  DkFOREST 
H.  PAUL  DOUGLASS  H.  W.  PORTER 

lOWANS   IN  A.  M.  A.  WORK 


"OTHER  MEN   LABORED,"   1845-1849  87 

Ephraim  Adams  was  at  Davenport,  fostering  the  church  of 
thirty-nine  members,  and  the  college  that  was  about  to  be, 
and  waking  up  to  the  fact  that  Davenport  was  likely  to  be- 
come a  German  city. 

Harvey  Adams  was  still  at  Farmington,  rejoicing  in  his 
new  house  of  worship,  32  x  40,  costing  $1,450,  dedicated 
January  26.  The  church  numbered  sixty-six,  twenty-eight 
having  been  received  on  confession,  within  a  year,  as  the 
fruits  of  a  revival. 

Ebenezer  Alden  was  still  at  Tipton,  but  he  was  about  to 
drop  out  and  return  to  New  England.  His  church  numbered 
twenty-one. 

James  J.  Hill  was  still  at  Garnavillo.  He  had  just  dedicated 
a  little  church  building,  Mr.  Holbrook  of  Dubuque  preaching 
the  dedicatory  sermon,  December  5,  1847.  His  parish  took  in 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  about  the  toughest  places  in  Iowa,  on 
the  borders  of  the  Indian  reservation.  He  tells  of  an  Indian 
gashed  by  the  blow  of  a  tomahawk,  in  a  drunken  frolic,  who 
refused  to  have  the  stitches  taken  in  the  wound,  saying, 
"They  sew  moccasins,  not  men." 

Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  according  to  Hon.  James  0.  Crosby, 
of  Garnavillo,  were  two  rival  saloons.  The  location  was  about 
three  miles  west  of  Monona,  on  the  military  road  from  Prairie 
du  Chien  to  Fort  Atkinson.  Eliphalet  Price,  however,  says: 
"Within  a  mile  of  the  village  of  Monona  may  still  be  seen  the 
ruins  of  the  once  flourishing  and  populous  village  of  Sodom." 
At  any  rate,  wherever  the  exact  location  is,  this  year,  even  here, 
in  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  a  little  church  of  sixteen  members 
was  organized.  The  Garnavillo  church  at  this  time  numbered 
twenty-three. 

Daniel  Lane  was  still  at  Keosauqua,  writing  in  every  report : 
"Our  meeting-house  is  still  unfinished,"  "our  meeting-house 
is  still  unfinished,"  but  he  reports  a  church  of  thirty-two 
members,  and  a  good  degree  of  religious  interest  in  the  com- 
munity. 


8&  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Alden  B.  Robbins  was,  of  course,  still  at  Muscatine,  for  he 
was  there  to  stay  for  a  lifetime.  Reviewing  the  four  years  of 
his  pastorate  then  past,  he  says  that  he  is  grieved  that  so 
little  has  been  accomplished.  He  reported  a  comfortable 
sanctuary  and  thirty  members. 

Burlington,  William  Salter  pastor,  had  grown  to  a  member- 
ship of  fifty-one,  and  before  the  year  ended,  twenty-one  more 
were  added. 

At  the  opening  of  the  year  1848,  Erastus  Ripley  was  still 
at  Bentonsport.  He  reviews  with  deep  humility  his  three 
years  of  service  here.  He  had  built  up  the  church  to  a  member- 
ship of  twenty-six.  A  neighboring  pastor  reported:  "An 
interesting  revival  of  religion  is  in  progress  at  Bentonsport. 
Brother  Ripley  is  heartily  engaged  in  the  good  work,  and  his 
church  is  greatly  quickened."  But  in  June  of  this  year,  the 
Minutes  of  the  State  Association  report:  "Bentonsport 
vacant"  and  "E.  Ripley,  Professor-elect  in  Iowa  College." 

Benjamin  Spaulding  reported  from  Ottumwa:  "Four  years 
have  passed  since  I  came  to  this  place.  Then  there  were  but 
fourteen  buildings  of  any  kind,  and  these,  with  two  exceptions 
were  built  of  logs.  Now,  we  have  quite  a  respectable  village 
of  brick  and  frame  buildings,  many  of  which  are  two  stories 
high,  and  a  population  of  two  or  three  hundred.  When  I  came 
here  there  was  but  one  individual  who  was  a  Congregationalist, 
and  he  soon  after  left  the  place.  After  laboring  for  about  two 
years,  we  succeeded  in  forming  a  church  with  eight  members. 
Four  others  have  been  added  since  its  organization,  so  that  it 
now  consists  of  twelve.  Three  other  churches  have  been 
formed  as  a  result  of  my  labors."  Mr.  Spaulding  had  just 
returned  from  a  visit  to  the  East,  for  which  he  affected  a 
degree  of  contempt.  He  says:  "The  shady  hills  of  New  Eng- 
land and  Pennsylvania  seemed  dead  and  dismal  after  a  three 
years'  residence  on  the  sunny  plains  of  Iowa;  and  the  Con- 
necticut and  the  Schuylkill  uninviting,  when  compared  with 
the  Des  Moines." 


"OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"   1845-1849  89 

E.  B.  Turner,  starting  at  Cascade  in  1843,  was  now  at 
Colesburg,  which  had  attained  a  membership  of  eighteen  and 
he  had  just  organized  a  church  of  five  members  at  Yankee 
Settlement  to  which  he  ministered  half  the  time. 

In  this  fashion  we  locate  the  Patriarchs  and  the  Band,  at 
the  beginning  of  the  second  decade,  January,  1848.  The 
"others"  were  distributed  as  follows:  "WilUam  L.  Coleman 
was  at  Bellevue  and  Andrew ;  W.  A.  Keith  was  at  Maquoketa ; 
Robert  Stuart  had  taken  Mr.  Turner's  place  at  Cascade; 
Alfred  Wright  had  just  closed  his  first  year  in  the  Big  Woods, 
Anamosa  and  other  places;  W.  A  Thompson  was  at  Fairfield; 
Simeon  Waters  was  at  Mount  Pleasant;  Charles  Burnham 
was  at  Brighton  and  Clay;  A.  L.  Leonard  was  supplying* 
Columbus  City;  George  B.  Hitchcock  was  at  Eddyville  and 
Oskaloosa,  but  he  was  reaching  out  in  his  missionary  activities 
to  Knoxville,  and  Ne-wton,  and  even  to  Des  Moines,  and  he 
was  crying  aloud  for  missionaries  for  these  regions  beyond. 

This  year,  the  Home  Missionary  Society  made  a  permanent 
beginning  at  Fort  Des  Moines,  by  sending  out  Rev.  T.  Bird. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  what  is  now  the  great  Central 
Presbyterian  church  of  Des  Moines.  We  Congregationalists, 
through  the  Home  Missionary  Society  had  a  hand  in  that 
good  work. 

Peter  Fleury  was  doing  splendid  work  among  the  Germans  at 
Dubuque  and  the  regions  round  about,  a  church  being  organ- 
ized at  Dubuque  in  December  of  1847,  and  another  at  Garna- 
villo,  February  15  of  this  year,  1848.  The  Dubuque  Ger- 
man church  began  with  thirty-five  members,  but  within  six 
months,  the  number  increased  to  sixty-eight. 

The  Garnavillo  church  began  with  six  members  and  found 
a  pastor  of  its  own  number.  This  man  was  "a  schoolmaster, 
possessing  childlike  faith,  and  a  deep  experimental  knowledge 
of  the  Word  of  God,  has  a  good  education,  and  a  great  talent 
for  teaching.  At  the  last  meeting  of  the  Association,  he  pre- 
sented himself  for  a  license  to  preach  the  gospel.    The  exami- 


90  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

nation  turned  out  to  the  perfect  satisfaction  of  the  Association. 
He  now  preaches  in  two  different  places  in  Clayton  County 
and  as  soon  as  he  can  afford  to  purchase  a  horse,  he  will  preach 
in  other  neighboring  settlements."  This  was  the  introduction 
of  Carl  V.  Hess  to  our  Iowa  work,  and,  in  due  time,  his  two 
sons,  Carl  and  Henry  followed  in  his  footsteps. 

"There  was  a  man  sent  from  God  whose  name  was  John" 
Wesley  Windsor;  and  his  sons  were  John  and  William;  and  they 
followed  in  his  footsteps.  Mr.  Windsor  was  born  at  Portsea, 
England,  in  1802.  In  early  manhood,  for  eleven  years,  he 
was  midshipman  in  the  English  navy,  and  while  in  service, 
was  once  in  battle  with  our  frigate  the  "  Constitution."  Reach- 
ing New  York  in  1820,  he  was  converted  under  the  preaching 
of  Summerfield,  at  the  John  St.  Methodist  church.  Returning 
to  England,  he  became  a  lay  preacher  among  the  Independents 
at  Petersfield.  In  the  spring  of  1844,  he  came  to  Iowa  and 
settled  on  a  claim  on  the  little  Maquoketa  river,  but  in  1845 
moved  to  Dubuque.  Mr.  Holbrook,  writing  early  in  1848, 
takes  up  the  narrative  and  says:  "For  some  time  past,  one  of 
our  deacons  has  been  holding  meetings  at  Durango,  and  much 
interest  has  been  manifested.  During  the  summer  I  spent  one 
Sabbath  there;  we  held  our  meetings  in  the  open  air,  in  'the 
timber,'  where  for  the  'first  time,  that  forest  sanctuary' 
resounded  with  the  voice  of  prayer,  and  songs  of  praise.  Deep 
feeling  was  manifested  by  many  individuals. " 

Mr.  Windsor  continues  the  story: 

Shortly  after  Brother  Holbrook  came  out  from  Dubuque  and  spent 
near  two  weeks  preaching  every  evening  and  on  the  Sabbath.  As  a  result 
of  these  efforts,  God  has  graciously  pleased  to  bring  many  precious  souls 
into  his  fold.  On  the  17th  of  January,  1848,  Brother  Holbrook  proceeded 
to  form  the  new  converts,  eighteen  in  number  into  a  church.  The  serv- 
ices of  that  day  will  live  in  remembrance  so  long  as  reason  retains  its  seat. 
There  were  fathers,  mothers  and  children,  presenting  themselves  to  God, 
the  gray-headed  of  sixty,  and  the  young  of  fourteen;  all  of  them  previously 
non-professors;  some  had  been  avowed  infidels;  all  of  them  a  short  time 
before  totally  destitute  of  moral  restraint;  some  of  them  notorious  for  vice 
and  profligacy. 


"OTHER  MEN  LABORED,"    1845-1849  91 

One  of  those  uniting  that  day  was  a  man  known  in  the  neighborhood 
as  "The  Pet  Bear."  He  was  one  of  the  early  pioneers,  a  real  backwoods- 
man, possessing  a  powerful  frame,  was  just  in  the  prime  of  life,  a  hard 
drinker,  and  one  of  the  most  profane  men  I  ever  knew,  and  a  perfect  slave 
to  a  passionate  temper,  that  not  infrequently  raged  like  a  tornado.  With 
him  it  was  a  word  and  a  blow,  often  the  last  first.  During  the  meetings, 
I  turned  out  of  my  way  one  evening  and  stopped  at  his  cabin  door.  I 
said  to  him:  "We  are  having  good  meetings  p.t  the  schoolhouse.  We 
shall  be  glad  to  see  you."  Without  giving  him  opportunity  to  reply, 
I  bade  him  good  evening.  (He  attended  the  meeting.)  Early  the  next 
morning,  one  of  the  neighbors  came  to  me  and  said,  "  Mr.  Windsor,  I  wish 
you  wovdd  go  to  see  the  Pet  Bear.  There  is  something  the  matter  with 
him.  He  came  home  from  the  meeting  last  night,  hke  a  furj".  He  sat 
down  in  a  chair  before  the  fire,  and  he  has  been  there  all  night.  He  is 
weeping  like  a  child.  As  I  was  passing,  his  wife  came  out  and  whispered 
to  me  to  ask  you  to  come  and  see  him."  I  hastened  to  his  cabin,  and 
there  found  him  sitting  with  his  head  bowed  on  his  hands,  between  his 
knees,  and  the  tears  trickling  down  and  falling  on  the  hearth-stone.  I 
drew  my  chair  up  to  him  and  asked  him  kindly  to  tell  me  the  cause  of  his 
distress.  After  a  pause  he  looked  up  into  my  face,  and,  with  a  look  and 
emphasis  I  shall  never  forget,  he  said:  "Oh,  Mr.  Windsor,  I  am  the  most 
wicked  and  wretched  sinner  in  the  world,  and  I  don't  know  what  to  do; 
can  you  tell  me?"  I  spent  nearly  the  whole  day  with  him.  He  became 
calm  and  listened  like  a  little  child.  In  a  few  days  he  felt  by  joyful  experi- 
ence that  the  blood  of  Jesus  could  cleanse  even  such  a  desperate  sinner 
as  he  was.  His  wife  told  me  that  after  I  left  on  the  preceding  evening, 
she  expected  an  outbiirst  of  temper,  but  instead  of  this,  he  turned  to  her 
and  said,  "Wife,  get  your  things  on,  and  we'll  go  to  meeting."  Then 
began  a  perfect  torrent  of  oaths  against  himself,  occasionally  speaking  to 
himself,  "Spew  it  out.  Pet,  it  is  the  last  time!  Get  rid  of  it,  for  I  mean  to 
cut  a  new  set  of  house  logs" — meaning  that  he  intended  to  begin  a  new 
course  of  life.  On  his  way  home,  she  said,  his  oaths  made  her  tremble; 
it  seemed  as  though  he  was  possessed  of  seven  devils.  As  he  reached  his 
cabin  door,  he  said;  "There,  wife,  it  is  all  out!"  And,  with  such  an  expres- 
sion as  she  had  never  heard  from  him  before,  he  cried  out,  "O  God,  help 
me!"  He  took  his  seat  before  the  fire,  scarcely  altering  his  position  dur- 
ing the  whole  night. 

We  might  write  a  whole  volume  of  obituaries  and  then  not 
mention  all  the  beloved  dead  of  our  Congregational  household. 
Only  a  few  home  goings  can  be  reported  in  this  book.  So  far 
the  Band  had  been  broken  only  by  the  death  of  Horace  Hut- 


92  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

chinson,  but  now,  Mrs.  A.  B.  Robbins,  came  to  her  translation 
with  scarcely  more  than  an  hour's  notice.  Mr.  Robbins  can 
best  tell  the  story: 

With  a  beloved  household  scattered,  and  a  heart  almost  crushed  by  my 
affliction,  I  forward  my  report.  A  little  more  than  six  weeks  ago,  we 
moved  from  a  contracted  and  unhealthy  dwelhng  into  a  convenient  and 
airy  abode  that  we  had  hoped  for  many  years  to  call  our  home.  On  the  Sab- 
bath, July  14,  with  an  unusual  degree  of  health,  and  spirits,  my  wife 
attended  church  and  Sabbath-school.  On  Monday  she  had  a  slight 
diarrhoea  which  did  not  jdeld  to  the  remedies  applied  until  Tuesday  after- 
noon. At  that  time  I  gave  up  all  anxiety  about  her,  and  leaving  her  in 
the  care  of  two  or  three  ladies,  and  a  physician,  I  went  down  to  procure 
some  one  to  spend  the  night.  I  was  detained  by  a  violent  thunder  storm, 
and  was  gone  an  hour  and  a  half.  Upon  my  return,  the  first  and  fearful 
salutation  from  my  dear  wife  was,  "Alden,  I  am  dying  with  the  cholera!" 

With  only  about  one  and  a  half  hour's  notice,  I  was  called  to  part  with 
a  wife,  precious  to  the  heart,  as  a  wife  is  only  to  a  missionary.  She  died 
in  wonderful  peace,  saying  that  it  was  "sweet  to  have  a  Saviour  to  trust 
in,  in  such  an  hour."  I  think  I  can  bow  to  the  will  of  God;  but  my  soul  is 
overwhelmed.  The  Lord  knoweth,  but  I  can  see  no  reason,  but  my  own 
guilt,  why  one,  so  much  respected  and  beloved  and  so  necessary  to  my 
usefulness,  as  it  seemed  to  me,  should  be  thus  suddenly  taken.  With 
my  three  motherless  ones,  of  two,  four  and  six  years,  I  am  staying  about 
among  kind  and  willing  friends,  as  yet  unable  to  decide  what  to  do. 

This  is  recorded,  but  a  hundred,  and  a  hundred  of  like  experi- 
ences will  not  be  told. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  State  Association  held  in  June  of  this 
year,  resolutions,  samples  of  many  of  the  sort,  are  passed,  con- 
demning "slavery  as  a  sin  against  God,  a  curse  to  the  master, 
and  a  grievous  wrong  to  the  slave";  and  advising  the  with- 
drawing of  fellowship  from  slave-holding  churches;  and  also 
condemning  the  Mexican  war  then  in  progress. 

Nor  did  the  Association  forget  Iowa  College.  After  a 
statement  of  the  condition  and  prospects  of  the  school  that 
was  to  be,  it  was : 

''Resolved,  that  we  hereby  express  our  gratitude  to  God 
for  the  success  that  has  hitherto  attended  this  enterprise. 
"Resolved  that  we  commit  this  object  to  the  notice  of  the 


"OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"    1845-1849  93 

churches,  and  bespeak  their  sympathies,  prayers,  and  liberal 
contributions  in  its  behalf." 

The  school  opened  in  November  of  this  year,  1848,  under  the 
charge  of  Erastus  Ripley,  professor  of  languages,  with  a 
salary  of  S500. 

"There  were  appropriate  opening  exercises,  including  an 
address  and  a  dedicatory  prayer.  It  was  a  windy,  wintry  day. 
Not  many  were  present,"  but  it  was  a  day  of  great  significance 
to  Iowa,  to  Iowa  Congregationalism,  and  the  kingdom  of  God, 
the  world  around. 

Now  we  come  to  the  year  1849;  and  from  this  time  on,  we 
must  reel  off  the  "years  as  a  tale  that  is  told"  in  rapid  succes- 
sion. Of  course,  the  "Forty-niners"  were  in  evidence,  even 
in  Iowa,  passing  through  in  droves  to  the  gold  fields  of  Califor- 
nia, and  some  who  were  just  beginning  to  take  root  here, 
tore  up  and  passed  on. 

The  state  limits  now  reached  the  Missouri  on  the  West,  and 
settlements  began  to  appear  on  the  Missouri  slope,  and  there 
was  heard,  though  in  the  distance,  the  rumble  of  a  coming 
railway  train.  A  third  association  was  formed,  called  the 
"Des  Moines  River  Association,"  this  in  part  by  way  of 
prophecy  of  other  churches  to  be  organized  in  the  region,  and 
partly  for  the  better  accommodation  of  the  churches  already 
organized. 

Iowa  College  was  making  for  itself  a  still  larger  and  larger 
place  in  the  hearts  of  the  men  and  women  of  the  churches. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  State  Association,  they  accepted  the 
offer  of  the  New  York  Independent,  recently  established,  "of 
a  portion  of  its  avails  in  this  state  for  the  benefit  of  Iowa 
College;  and  we  will  endeavor  to  obtain  as  many  subscribers 
for  the  paper  as  possible,  and  make  returns  to  Professor 
Ripley  of  said  college." 

"A  subscription  paper  was  circulated  by  Rev.  D.  Lane,  to 
obtain  subscriptions  for  the  college,  and  the  sum  of  $377.45 
was  raised.     Rev.  Mr.  Williams  offered  the  concluding  prayer 


94  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

in  behalf  of  the  college."  Let  those  of  the  present  day  remem- 
ber that  thus  the  foundations  of  this  institution  were  laid! 
Historically,  anyhow,  Iowa  College  is  a  Congregational  school. 
No  other  ecclesiastical  body  has  such  records  concerning  the 
college;  and  this  was  only  the  beginning. 

Churches  were  gathered  this  year  at  Le  Claire,  Sherrill's 
Mound  (German),  Guttenburg  (German),  and  Warren. 

Of  course,  Mr.  Hess  was  in  charge  of  the  new  German  work 
at  Guttenburg  in  connection  with  his  work  at  Garnavillo  and 
Farmersburg.  Peter  Fleury  did  a  splendid  work  among  the 
Germans  in  Dubuque,  and  in  all  that  region,  but  it,  was  too 
soon  ended,  and  he  returned  to  Switzerland.  His  place  was 
supplied  at  once  by  the  coming  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Madoulet,  his 
field  being  Dubuque,  Sherrill's  Mound  and  all  the  rest  of  the 
German  world  in  that  region. 

Just  then  Durango  was  vacant,  for  Father  Windsor  had 
taken  Brother  Keith's  place  at  Maquoketa,  and  Mr.  Keith 
had  gone  to  Tipton  to  take  the  place  of  Alden  of  the  Band, 
who  had  returned  to  New  England  to  be  no  more  seen  in  Iowa. 
For  thirty-five  years,  beginning  in  1850,  he  was  pastor  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church  of  Marshfield,  Massachusetts, 
and  was  pastor  or  pastor  emeritus  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
January  4,  1899.  Daniel  Webster  was  one  of  Mr.  Alden's 
parishioners,  and  he  preached  the  great  statesman's  funeral 
sermon  in  1852. 

Rev.  A.  B.  Dilly  was  now  in  Professor  Ripley's  place  at 
Bentonsport;  and  William  P.  Apthorp,  the  first  of  the  Denmark 
preachers,  as  we  have  seen,  was  now  in  charge  at  Oskaloosa. 
One  of  the  events  of  the  year,  was  the  dedication  of  the  meeting- 
house at  Colesburg,  October  21.  "The  weather  was  fine,  and 
the  house  was  filled  to  overflowing.  Many  said  it  was  the 
happiest  day  of  their  fives.  After  having  so  long  occupied 
the  slab  seats  of  the  log  school-house,  they  were  ready  to 
appreciate  the  new  comforts  and  conveniences. 

The  minister  was  also  somewhat  prepared  to  "  appreciate  a 


"OTHER   MEN   LABORED,"    1845-1849  95 

convenient  pulpit  and  tight  walls  and  a  good  roof,  after 
having  preached  two  years  from  the  back  of  a  chair,  or  the 
crown  of  a  hat,  and  being  often  obliged  to  stand  with  his  notes 
in  his  hand  to  keep  them  from  blowing  away,  or  to  dodge  the 
rain  as  it  poured  through  from  the  leaky  roof." 

The  year  1850  records  important  associational  changes. 
The  name  Northern  Iowa  Association,  dropped  out,  and  the 
territory  was  divided  into  the  Davenport  and  the  Dubuque 
Associations,  the  last  named  reaching  up  to  Monona  in  territory 
recently  vacated  by  the  Indians.  The  Monona  church  num- 
bered sixteen  members,  with  Rev.  A.  M.  Eastman  pastor. 

Rev.  Ozias  Littlefield  was  at  Garnavillo,  taking  the  place 
of  J.  J.  Hill,  who,  though  a  member  of  the  Iowa  Band,  had 
deserted  Iowa  for  a  season.  However,  he  was  just  across  the 
river  at  Albany,  Illinois,  and  he  and  his  church  were  members 
of  the  Davenport  Association.  The  Marion  Church,  organ- 
ized as  Presbyterian  in  1840,  and  reorganized  as  Congrega- 
tional, April  1,  1848,  was  now  suppUed  by  Rev.  Bennet 
Robert,  of  whom  we  will  hear  more  presently;  and  Presby- 
terian beginnings,  with  which  Congregationalists  had  much 
to  do,  were  being  made  at  Cedar  Rapids  under  the  leadership 
of  Rev.  Williston  Jones.  Rev.  S.  D.  Helms,  dividing  Mr. 
Coleman's  field,  was  located  at  Cottonville;  WilUam  A.  West- 
ervelt  at  Crawfordsville  and  Washington;  and  Henry  William 
Cobb,  at  Le  Claire,  Charles  Burnham,  who,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered was  ordained  by  the  General  Association  with  Oliver 
Emerson,  in  1841,  and  gave  the  charge  to  the  seven  of  the 
Band  ordained  at  Denmark  in  1843,  after  a  pastorate  of  nearly 
a  decade  at  Brighton  and  Clay,  leaving  the  work  there  in 
charge  of  Rev.  F.  A.  Armstrong,  struck  out  ^gain  for  pioneer 
work,  and  found  at  Albia  and  Chariton,  and  the  regions  round 
about,  "a  broad  field  in  which  to  sow  the  good  seed." 

This  was  a  good  year  for  Iowa  College.  In  the  narrative  of 
the  state  of  rehgion,  it  is  written:  "The  institution  of  learning 
at  Davenport,  which  holds  so  dear  a  place  in  the  hearts  of  those 


96  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

who  compose  this  body,  has  shared  in  the  blessed  results  of 
one  of  the  revivals  above  alluded  to.  Iowa  College  has  been 
baptized  in  its  infancy  with  the  Holy  Ghost."  And  "it  was 
voted  to  recommend  to  the  trustees  to  appoint  an  additional 
professor  this  fall,  when  a  regular  college  class  will  be  formed. 
Animating  addresses  were  also  made,  by  Rev.  Messrs.  E. 
Adams,  Magoun,  etc.,  etc.,  after  which  a  subscription  was 
circulated,  and  $450  raised.  The  wives  also  of  the  ministers, 
anxious  to  share  in  the  enterprise  of  founding  their  college, 
resolved  to  raise  $100,  out  of  their  own  resources,  and  $70  was 
subscribed  by  fourteen  who  were  present." 


Chapter  VI 
REACHING  THE   MISSOURI,   1850-1854 

In  the  early  fifties  the  fullest  tide  of  emigration  was  the 
westward  flow  into  Southern  Iowa,  which  at  length  met  the 
tide  sweeping  up  the  Missouri.  In  Southeastern  Iowa  settle- 
ments were  here  and  there,  and  as  far  west  as  Newton,  Knox- 
ville,  Fort  Des  Moines,  and 'Winterset. 

This  was  preeminently  the  decade  of  the  stage-coach  and 
"prairie  schooner."  The  dream  of  the  streams  of  inland 
Iowa  as  highways  of  travel  and  commerce  was  a  vanishing 
dream,  but  it  still  lingered  and  persisted.  Mr.  N.  H.  Parker 
in  his  "Iowa  as  It  Is,"  as  late  as  the  middle  of  the  decade, 
declared:  "Some  of  these  streams  are  navigable  for  a  great 
distance,  and  the  day  is  drawing  nigh  when  the  quiet  of  these 
banks  shall  be  broken,  and  the  shrill  whistle  of  the  heavily 
laden  steamer  reverberate  from  shore  to  shore.  The  untold 
power  of  some  of  these  waters  will  soon  be  utilized  for  mechani- 
cal purposes,  and  the  thunder  and  clatter  of  ten  thousand 
wheels  will  break  upon  the  solitude  which  now  echoes  only 
the  harvest  song  or  notes  of  the  sweet  warblers  of  the  forest." 
The  prophecies  continued:  "The  Des  Moines  Valley  is 
traversed  by  one  of  the  most  beautiful  rivers  on  earth;  four 
hundred  miles  in  length;  capable  of  floating  steamers  a  part 
of  the  year,  and  affording  water  power  to  any  desirable  extent; 
with  a  landscape  of  great  and  charming  variety,  and  possess- 
ing a  soil  scarcely  equaled  for  fertility,  perhaps  in  the  world; 
why  should  it  not  be  thronged  with  inhabitants?  It  is  the 
center  of  the  'Mesopotamia  of  the  West'  in  a  more  important 
sense  than  that  of  its  position.  Let  but  the  iron  horse 
8  97 


9S  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

traverse  the  whole  length  of  the  valley,  and  the  silver  stream 
will  be  skirted  with  cities  and  villages  in  as  great  continuity 
as  on  the  Bosphorus ;  meanwhile  its  agricultural  and  manufac- 
tured exports  will  amount  to  many  millions  of  dollars 
annually." 

The  earliest  Gentile  pioneers  of  the  Missouri  slope  reached 
the  new  land  by  the  Missouri  River,  but  the  Mormons  of 
1846  from  their  rendezvous  at  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  trailed  their 
way  across  the  state,  marking  the  pathway  for  the  Gentiles 
following,  and  in  this  westward  movement  of  permanent 
settlement  on  the  Missouri,  the  stage-coach  and  the  schooner 
are  in  evidence  and  indispensable.  Two  lines  of  coaches, 
sometimes  six  and  seven  coaches  in  a  bunch,  to  accommodate 
the  crowds,  run  daily  from  Burlington  to  Oskaloosa. 

Mr.  Parker,  no  doubt  in  fancy  sketches  in  part,  but  for 
"substance  of  doctrine"  correct,  reports  some  of  the  stage- 
coach comments  and  observations  as  follows: — "An  old  man 
from  Maine  is  made  to  say:  'Well,  this  is  e'en-a-jest  the  garden 
of  Eden.'  Another  exclaims:  'Bless  my  stars,  mother,  look 
at  that.  Don't  that  make  your  mouth  water?  These  corn- 
fields look  as  if  fifty  years  old;  not  a  stump  nor  a  stone.  Look 
at  that  fellow  plowing.  His  horse  walks  as  if  he  had  nothing 
behind  him.  What  a  furrow  he  rolls  up!  Soft  as  a  garden 
plat,  rich  as  a  stable  yard.'  'I'll  give  it  up,'  says  another, 
'I  have  been  looking  all  the  way  from  Paris,  in  Canada,  through 
Ohio,  Illinois,  and  Wisconsin  for  something  better,  and  it  has 
grown  better  all  the  way:  but  better  than  this  is  no  use; 
I'll  give  it  up.'  And  another  ventures  the  remark:  'These 
lands  will  be  worth  ten  dollars  an  acre  in  five  years.  Ten  years 
will  make  this  country  equal  to  the  most  favored  sections 
of  New  York,  Pennsylvania  or  Ohio.'  'Now  ladies  and 
gentlemen,'  says  an  old  stranger — he  had  been  ten  years  in 
Iowa — 'If  you  are  so  taken  with  this,  just  hold  on.  Don't 
cry  out  until  you  get  up  about  Oskaloosa,  and  around  there; 
up  in  Mahaska,  Marion,  Warren,  Lucas,  Monroe,  Madison, 


REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,    1850-1854  99 

and  so  on,  clear  out  to  Council  Bluffs;  richer  land  for  farming 
is  not  anywhere  else  on  this  continent.'" 

Our  Pilgrims  began  to  reach  the  Missouri  in  1848.  A  colony 
from  Ohio,  Deacon  George  B.  Gaston  the  leading  spirit, 
John  Todd  a  young  preacher  on  a  tour  of  inspection  with  them, 
arrived  at  Civil  Bend  in  the  autumn  of  this  year.  They 
came  by  the  Ohio  River,  the  Mississippi,  and  the  Missouri, 
as  far  as  St.  Joseph,  but,  being  in  a  hurry,  they  finished  the 
journey  overland  from  that  point.  Deacon  Gaston  had  been 
West  before.  For  four  years,  1840-44,  he  was  the  government 
farmer  among  the  Pawnee  Indians  of  Nebraska.  He  then 
saw  that  this  was  soon  to  be  a  white  man's  country,  and  there 
came  to  him  an  inspiration  to  found  another  Oberlin  out  here  in 
this  western  land.  So  he  returned  to  Ohio,  interested  a  few 
people  in  the  enterprise,  and  this  small  beginning  at  Civil  Bend 
was  the  beginning  of  the  fulfillment  of  his  dream.  He  found 
Mr.  Todd,  a  graduate  of  Oberlin,  pastor  at  Clarkesville,  and 
said  to  him :  "  Come,  go  with  us.  I  can't  say  much  about  salary, 
but  while  I  live  you  shall  live."  Twenty-five  years  later, 
at  Mr.  Gaston's  funeral,  his  pastor  said:  "Brother  Gaston 
always  kept  his  word."  Remaining  now  only  a  few  days, 
Mr.  Todd  on  horseback  took  the  Mormon  trail  through 
Iowa  back  to  Ohio,  but  returned  with  his  family  for  permanent 
residence  in  1850. 

Meanwhile,  in  the  fall  of  1849,  this  Pilgrim  band  from  Ohio, 
with  others  from  other  parts.  Baptists  and  Methodists,  some 
of  them,  organized  the  Union  Church  of  Civil  Bend.  Of  course 
it  was  essentially  Congregational,  for  they,  a  company  of 
laymen,  without  the  sanction  of  a  preacher  even,  or  any  out- 
side authority,  adopted  their  own  creed  and  covenant,  and 
conducted  all  the  affairs  of  the  church  in  a  thoroughly  demo- 
cratic fashion. 

Another  Pilgrim  Band  arrived  in  1849.  A  few  Congrega- 
tional families  from  Illinois,  starting  for  California,  were 
stopped  on  the  banks  of  the  Missouri  opposite  the  mouth 


100  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

of  the  Big  Platte  River;  as  a  result,  in  due  time,  the  Florence 
church. 

Civil  Bend  had  an  unhallowed  christening.  It  was  given 
in  derision  by  the  roughs  of  the  various  whiskey  cabins  along 
the  "Big  Muddy,"  these  dens  bearing  popularly  such  unsanc- 
tified  names  as  "Devil's  Den,"  "Hell's  Kitchen,"  and  the  like. 
The  Civil  Bend  people  accepted  the  title  given  them  by  their 
neighbors,  and  the  name  still  clings  to  the  community. 

Mr.  Todd  took  up  his  permanent  residence  in  Iowa  July 
1,  1850,  and  at  once  began  his  missionary  labors,  which 
soon  extended  from  Civil  Bend  to  Florence,  Trader's  Point, 
Honey  Creek,  Cutler's  Camp,  High  Creek,  and  Linden, 
Missouri. 

It  sometimes  rains  in  the  Missouri  Bottom;  it  did  in  the 
summer  of  1851.  Mr.  Todd  reported:  "The  waters  of  the 
river,  the  waters  of  the  uplands,  and  the  'waters  above  the 
firmament'  combined  to  drive  the  people  from  Civil  Bend. 
Streams  from  the  Bluffs  swept  down  in  torrents,  bearing 
away  bridges,  fences  and  all  before  them.  Five  miles  of 
water  spread  out  between  us  and  the  highlands.  Sloughs 
were  waded  to  go  to  meeting  where  horses  would  mire 
down;  abundance  of  buffalo  fish  were  speared  with  pitchforks 
amid  the  tall  grass.  Mosquitoes,  enough  to  dim  the  sun  and 
moon,  chimed  in  to  sing  the  requiem  of  our  hopes  in  that  land 
of  promise."  But  the  real  land  of  promise  was  not  far  away, 
within  easy  reach,  a  lovely  spot  on  the  high,  dry  and  fertile 
plains,  soon  to  be  called  Tabor. 

As  the  pilgrim  bands  were  reaching  the  Missouri,  and  it 
looked  as  if  there  might,  in  time,  be  settlements  here  and  there 
clear  across  the  state,  and  possibly  churches  would  be  needed 
some  day,  the  Superintendent  of  Home  Missions  planned  a 
tour  of  inspection,  extending  from  the  Des  Moines  to  the 
Missouri.  Eddyville  was  the  point  of  departure.  The  Eddy- 
ville  pastor,  George  B.  Hitchcock,  was  Mr.  Reed's  companion 
on  the  trip.     The  date  of  their  departure  was  October  14, 


REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,   1850-1854         101 

1850;  their  equipments  a  two-horse  wagon,  with  provisions, 
cooking  utensils,  and  everything  necessary  for  camping 
out. 

They  took  the  old  Mormon  trail  of  1846.  They  found  in 
Lucas  County  great  rich  rolling  prairies,  of  no  account  as  yet, 
so  far  from  wood  and  water,  but  they  also  came  across  bodies 
of  timber  with  good  settlements  on  the  Chariton,  Cedar,  and 
White  Breast  Rivers.  Chariton  then  had  fourteen  houses,  and 
was  favored  with  an  occasional  visit  from  Brother  Burnham 
of  Albia.  Decatur  County  they  characterized  as  well  watered, 
and  a  portion  of  it  "well  timbered."  No  other  sort  of  country 
was  fit  for  settlement.  At  Garden  Grove,  they  found  thirty- 
five  Mormon  families,  and  only  five  or  six  families  that  were 
not  Mormons.  Lamoni,  Decatur  County,  is  to-day  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Josephite  branch  of  the  Mormon  Church. 

The  next  settlement,  forty  miles  away,  was  Pisgah,  on  the 
West  Grand  River,  "a  desolate  place,  once  occupied  by  the 
Mormons,  stumps  and  old  cabins  the  most  prominent  objects." 
Here  were  twenty-five  Mormon  and  eight  or  ten  Gentile 
famihes. 

Of  Taylor  and  Ringgold  Counties  Mr.  Reed  wrote:  "I 
have  been  informed  that  in  the  southern  tier  of  townships 
there  is  very  little  timber,  and  it  is  doubtful  whether  land 
enough  will  be  sold  in  them  for  fifty  years  to  pay  for  surveying 
them."  No  land  but  timber  land  is  any  good  in  a  new  country 
in  advance  of  the  railroad.  That  same  "worthless"  land 
within  fifty  years  was  selling  for  seventy- five  dollars  and 
one  hundred  dollars  per  acre. 

The  next  settlement  was  Johnson's,  thirty-five  miles  west 
of  Pisgah.  This  was  on  the  East  Nodaway.  "Johnson, 
was  building  a  mill,  and  his  house  was  full  of  workmen.  We 
took  our  supper  out  of  doors  after  dark.  There  were  two 
rooms  in  the  cabin.  Fifteen  men  and  boys  slept  in  one  of 
them;  we  took  our  chance  upon  the  floor  of  the  other,  while 
the  family,  six  in  number,  filled  the  beds." 


102  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

It  was  forty  miles  to  the  next  settlement  at  Indiantown, 
the  Lewis  of  to-day,  on  the  East  Nishnabotana.  Timber 
here  was  abundant,  and  "here  will  be  a  large  settlement," 
so  the  agent  prophesied.  "We  spent  the  Sabbath  at  this 
place,"  he  said,  "in  a  Mormon  family.  They  said  they  had 
a  Bible  but  did  not  show  it."  At  Omar's  Grove,  sixteen 
miles  further  on,  they  fell  in  with  "an  Ironside  Baptist  family 
and  a  disaffected  Mormon."  At  Cutler's  Camp  on  Silver 
Creek,  there  were  "twenty-five  disaffected  Mormon  families. 
They  reject  the  tithing  and  spiritual  wife  systems,  and  will 
not  emigrate  to  Salt  Lake." 

The  Missouri  Bottom  was  on  fire  as  they  entered  it,  the 
flames  flashing  up  thirty  feet,  an  "Ocean  of  fire." 

At  Civil  Bend  they  ascertain  that  there  is  a  church  of  nine- 
teen members,  Rev.  John  Todd  the  pastor.  For  several  years. 
Civil  Bend  was  said  to  have  been  the  southwest  terminus 
of  the  oldest  railroad  in  the  state — "the  Underground  Rail- 
road." 

"The  famiUes  from  Illinois,"  reported  by  Mr.  Todd  at 
Florence,  are  given  by  Mr.  Reed  "a  Connecticut  man,  with 
his  children  and  their  families,  numbering  eighteen."  They 
formed  the  nucleus  of  the  church,  which  later  in  the  year,  Dec. 
1,  was  organized  by  Mr.  Todd.  "It  was  one  of  the  very  few 
places  in  Western  Iowa  where,  in  1850,  the  gospel  was  not 
crowded  out  by  Mormonism." 

Passing  on  through  Trader's  Point,  at  Kanesville,  they 
were  at  the  headquarters  of  Mormonism  for  those  en 
route  for  Salt  Lake.  There  were  one  hundred  and  sixty  log 
houses,  and  a  population  of  one  thousand,  all  Mormons  with 
exception  of  about  fifty  persons.  Here  they  spent  the  Sabbath 
which  was  not  a  Sabbath  to  them.  Mr.  Reed  comments: 
"I  saw  no  indication  of  piety  among  them.  Morality  among 
them  is  at  a  low  ebb.  The  sale  and  use  of  intoxicating  liquors, 
by  Mormons  in  good  standing,  is  common.  Profaneness  is 
common.     They  are  charged  with  stealing,  and  much  more 


REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,    1850-1854         103 

of  the  same  sort."  He  estimates  about  five  thousand  Mor- 
mons in  Western  Iowa. 

They  returned  by  nearly  the  same  route,  branching  off, 
however,  at  Indiantown  to  strike  Winterset  and  Fort  Des 
Moines.  Mr.  Reed  reached  home  in  good  health,  Nov.  18, 
having  traveled  eight  hundred  and  seventy-five  miles. 

The  year  1851  made  a  notable  record  of  accessions  to  the 
churches;  the  ministerial  accessions,  too,  were  noteworthy; 
new  work  of  significance  was  undertaken,  and  associational 
innovations  led  on  to  great  results. 

"The  crowning  mercy  of  the  year,"  wrote  Mr.  Reed,  "is 
the  bestowment  of  converting  grace  in  unwonted  measures. 
About  one-fourth  of  the  churches  have  been  thus  cheered  and 
strengthened,  and  the  number  of  souls  gathered  to  the  people 
of  God  will  about  equal  a  tenth  of  all  the  previous  members 
of  the  churches."  Report  came  from  the  Denmark  Associa- 
tion that  "some  churches  have  more  than  doubled  their  num- 
ber, and  they  have  all  in  the  aggregate  increased  twenty-five 
per  cent,  the  past  year."  The  accessions  of  the  year  were 
four  hundred  and  fifty-six,  two  hundred  and  fifty  by  confession. 

One  of  the  new  ministers  was  Hiram  N.  Gates.  He  began 
at  Durango  and  Trivoli,  but  was  soon  settled  for  quite  a 
season  at  the  "Yankee  Settlement,"  and  he  will  be  heard 
from  time  to  time. 

John  R.  Upton,  of  Wilmot,  New  Hampshire,  Amherst  Col- 
lege and  Andover  Seminary,  came  to  the  state  this  year. 
He  too  began  at  Durango,  Trivoli,  and  Concord,  but  his 
name  will  go  down  in  our  history  as  the  pioneer  missionary 
of  the  Northwest. 

This  year,  George  G.  Rice,  born  at  Enosburg,  Vermont, 
graduate  of  Vermont  University  and  Union  Seminary,  after 
a  year  at  Fairfield,  entered  upon  a  long  term  of  service  on  the 
Missouri  slope,  beginning  at  Council  Bluffs,  in  November 
of  this  year.  However,  he  had  to  work  and  wait  two  years 
before    he  could  create    even  the    semblance   of   a   church, 


104  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

for  this  was  Mormon  ground.  He  is  still  at  Council  Bluffs, 
though  nearly  sixty  years  have  intervened. 

Five  new  churches  were  organized  this  year,  but  not  one  of 
them  is  in  existence  to-day.  Only  the  Elk  River  church, 
organized  by  Oliver  Emerson,  had  an  existence  long  enough  or 
large  enough  to  be  worthy  of  a  place  in  our  history. 

Before  the  coming  of  the  railroads,  no  one  could  tell  where 
the  centers  of  population  would  be,  and  in  the  planting  of  the 
churches,  no  one  could  know  which  would  prosper,  this  or 
that,  or  both,  or  neither.  Prophecies  missed  the  mark  on  both 
sides  of  it.  Ottumwa  is  an  example.  Reviewing  seven  years 
of  labor,  Mr.  Spaulding  marveling  at  the  unexpected  growth 
of  the  city,  and  the  whole  region,  goes  on  to  forecast  in 
brilhant  colors: 

Ottumwa,  which  seven  years  ago,  had  no  existence,  its  very  site  being 
then  about  fifteen  miles  west  of  the  Hne  which  divided  ci\'ilized  from  sav- 
age Ufe,  is  not  far  from  the  geographical  center  of  Iowa,  and  is  regarded 
confidently  as  the  future  location  of  the  state  capital,  and  probably  at  the 
end  of  four  years  more  may  have  a  regular  line  of  packets  running  one 
hundred  miles  beyond  it  into  the  interior  of  the  state,  and  transporting 
the  commerce  of  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  fertile  valleys  in  the 
United    States. 

How  persistent  is  prophecy  relating  to  this  Des  Moines 
Valley!  With  somewhat  more  subdued  optimism.  Brother 
Ephraim  Adams  of  Davenport  wrote: 

This  place  is  fast  rising  in  importance.  Since  the  railroad  from  Chicago 
to  Rock  Island  has  been  made  certain,  and  its  completion  within  two 
years  so  probable,  many  eyes  are  turned  hither;  and  never  were  there  so 
many  strangers  in  town  at  this  season  of  the  year,  looking  for  houses  and 
going  away  for  want  of  them,  as  now. 

The  college  opens  this  year  with  an  advance,  corresponding  to  the 
growth  of  all  things  about  it.  The  day  is  past  when  I  queried  whether 
this  were  a  field  of  labor. 

This  year  the  State  Association  virtually  organized  itself 
into  a  Church  Building  Society.  Oliver  Emerson  was  the 
head  and  heart  of  this  movement.     He  read  a  paper  on  the 


REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,   1850-1854         105 

subject  of  aid  in  church  building  before  the  Association  held 
at  Muscatine  in  1845.  So  lucid  and  strong  were  the  arguments 
that  the  brethren  endorsed  it,  and  voted  to  request  its  publica- 
tion in  Eastern  papers;  and  considering  the  matter  of  special 
importance,  they  sent  Brother  Ephraim  Adams  on  to  give 
emphasis  to  the  request.  To  his  great  surprise,  good  Doctor 
Badger  at  the  Missionary  Rooms,  shook  his  head.  "No," 
he  said,  "the  churches  won't  stand  it.  If  we  send  ministers 
to  the  West,  you  must  build  your  own  churches.  No,  that 
should  not  be  printed."  In  Boston,  Dr.  Joseph  Clark  of  the 
Massachusetts  Home  Missionary  Society  took  the  same 
view,  and  indeed  cut  the  discussion  short  by  saying:  "Well, 
it  is  of  no  use;  Doctor  Badger  has  written  me  about  it,  and  we 
are  of  the  same  mind."  No  wonder  that  Brother  Adams 
should  say  that  he  felt,  "with  a  touch  of  resentment,  that 
a  green  boy  had  been  sent  from  one  city  to  another  on  a  sort 
of  a  fool's  errand." 

But  the  Iowa  brethren  were  not  ready  to  abandon  the  idea, 
or  the  effort  to  secure  help  in  church  erection.  At  the  meeting 
of  the  State  Association,  this  year,  1851,  Mr.  Emerson,  as  chair- 
man of  "the  Committee  on  Securing  Aid  for  our  Feeble 
Churches  in  the  Erection  of  Houses  of  Worship,"  brought  in  a 
massive  and  masterly  report,  which  was  adopted,  and  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed,  "to  receive  applications  for  aid  from 
feeble  churches  to  solicit,  by  correspondence,  contributions  from 
benevolent  individuals  and  churches  at  the  East,  and  distri- 
bute the  receipts  of  this  at  their  discretion  to  the  feeble 
churches."  During  the  year,  this  committeesecured$l,351.65, 
five  hundred  of  this  from  Hon.  Douglass  Putnam,  of  Marietta, 
Ohio,  and  they  gave  aid  to  Tipton,  De  Witt,  Sabula,  Eddyville, 
Bellevue,  Anamosa  and  Maquoketa.  Undoubtedly,  this 
"Iowa  Idea,"  put  in  practice,  had  something  to  do  with  the 
launching  of  the  Church  Building  Society. 

The  launching  of  the  Church  Building  Society  at  the  Albany 
Convention  was  one  of  the  great  denominational  events  of 


106  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

1852,  the  year  to  which  we  have  now  come.  Iowa  had  to 
do  with  this  great  event.  The  convention  was  called  by  the 
New  York  Association,  other  State  Associations  concurring, 
in  the  interests  of  the  denomination  at  large.  It  was  a  meeting 
of  great  importance  to  Iowa  Congregationalism  and  Iowa 
helped  to  shape  its  action.  Five  ministers  from  the  state 
were  members  of  the  convention,  Asa  Turner,  E.  B.  Turner, 
Oliver  Emerson,  J.  C.  Holbrook,  and  Julius  A.  Reed. 

One  of  the  first  things  to  come  up  at  this  meeting  was  a 
consideration  of  Western  Congregationalism,  which,  in  some 
quarters  was  discredited,  and  considered  erratic  and  unsound. 
That  matter  was  finally  and  forever  disposed  of  by  the  adop- 
tion of  resolutions  presented  by  Julius  A.  Reed,  as  follows: 

Whereas,  for  several  years,  insinuations  and  charges  of  heresy  of  doc- 
trine and  disorder  in  practice,  have  been  made  against  CongregationaUsts 
at  the  West,  frequently  too  vague  in  their  character,  and  too  sweeping 
and  general  in  their  aim  to  admit  of  refutation;  and 

Whereas,  Congregationalism  at  the  West  has  thereby  suffered  greatly 
in  the  estimation  of  CongregationaUsts  of  New  England,  and  of  many 
other  Christians;  therefore, 

Resolved,  1st,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  CongregationaUsts  to  frown  upon 
all  such  accusations,  unless  their  authors  or  abettors  will  make  specific 
allegations,  and  hold  themselves  responsible  for  the  same. 

Resolved,  2d,  that  it  is  very  important  that  the  General  Associations, 
conferences  and  conventions  at  the  East,  be  careful  to  send  delegates  to 
the  General  Associations  at  the  West,  that  they  may  obtain  reUable  infor- 
mation respecting  Western  CongregationaUsm. 

One  old  minister  dissented,  considering  this  a  complete 
vindication  of  Western  Congregationalism  which  he  was  not 
ready  to  give;  and  Dr.  Edward  Hawes  wished  the  resolutions 
laid  on  the  table  "that  they  might  have  opportunity  to  under- 
stand the  subject";  but  the  resolutions  were  adopted  with 
only  one  dissenting  voice.  "The  yeas  were  like  the  sound 
of  many  waters.  There  were  some  who  had  slept  little  for 
two  nights,  who  that  night  slept  well."  It  was  a  happy  hour 
for  Brother  Reed. 

Then,  by  the  instigation  of  Mr.  Bowen  of  the  "  Independent" 


REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,    1850-1854         107 

with  the  especial  support  of  the  Iowa  delegation;  the  resolu- 
tion to  raise  S50,000  for  church  building  was  adopted, 
and  the  "Congregational  Union"  was  organized,  one  clause 
of  the  constitution  providing  for  "cooperation  in  building 
meeting-houses  and  parsonages."  This  was  an  after  thought, 
however,  an  amendment,  but  the  stone  almost  "rejected  by 
the  builders,"  soon  became  "the  headstone  of  the  corner"; 
and  out  of  this  in  due  time  grew  our  "  Congregational  Church 
Building  Society." 

The  sum  named  at  the  convention  for  church  building  for 
immediate  use,  was  $50,000,  but  the  amount  raised  was 
$60,000,  Mr.  Bowen  himself  giving  $10,000.  Iowa's  share 
of  this  was  $8,000  and  thirty-two  Iowa  churches  were  aided 
in  their  buildings  by  this  Fund.  The  influence  of  the  conven- 
tion on  Western  Congregationalism  was  very  great.  Suspi- 
cions were  removed,  and  the  East  and  the  West  clasped  hands 
in  practical  fellowship,  as  they  had  never  done  before. 

This  year,  at  the  state  association,  the  brethren  felt  it  to  be 
their  duty  to  give  their  old  mother,  the  Home  Missionary 
Society,  a  little  slap  in  the  face,  perhaps  they  called  it  a  "love- 
pat,"  in  the  adoption  of  the  following: 

Resolved,  that  while  we  have  unabated  confidence  in  the  officers  of  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  in  their  administration  of  its  affairs, 
we  deeply  regret  that  the  funds  of  that  society  should  be  appropriated  to 
sustain  missionaries  who  do  not  treat  slaveholding  as  a  disciplinable 
offense. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  there  was  an  early  fruitless 
effort  made  to  effect  organic  union  with  the  Presbyterians. 
Now  the  effort  was  no  longer  for  organic  unity,  but  for 
"comity."  The  Association  this  year  made  a  deliverance 
on  the  subject  as  follows: 

Resolved,  that  while  we  regard  our  system  of  church  polity  as  founded 
upon  the  Bible  and  therefore  adapted  to  promote  the  best  interests  of 
our  churches  we  will  consider  ourselves  as  essentially  one  with  our  Presby- 
terian brethren  in  doctrine  and  system  of  efforts  to  promote  the  cause  of 
Christ. 


108  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

A  very  solemn  incident  connected  with  this  meeting  of 
the  Association,  held  at  Muscatine,  was  the  discovery  of  the 
body  of  Rev.  William  A.  Thompson,  which  was  washed  ashore 
on  the  Saturday  morning  of  this  week.  Mr.  Thompson  was 
from  Yale;  he  was  not  one  of  the  Iowa  Band,  but  he  fell  in  with 
them  on  their  journey  West,  and  was  ordained  with  those  of 
them  who  were  ordained  at  Denmark  in  November  1843.  For 
two  years  he  was  at  Troy,  Davis  County,  on  the  outskirts  of 
civilization,  then  served  at  Fairfield  for  five  years,  and  then, 
in  1850  took  charge  of  the  church  at  Port  Byron,  Illinois.  He 
came  to  his  death  by  drowning  on  the  3rd  of  May.  Now, 
this  Saturday  morning,  as  a  few  of  the  brethren  were  walking 
by  the  river's  side,  his  body,  fully  identified,  was  washed 
ashore.  The  event  made  a  profound  impression  upon  the 
brethren.  He  was  buried  at  Muscatine.  Funeral  exercises 
were  held  at  the  cemetery  early  Sunday  morning,  and  appro- 
priate resolutions  were  adopted  by  the  Association. 

This  year,  the  Band  was  again  broken  by  the  death  of  Mrs. 
J.  J.  Hill,  May  21.  She  was  born  at  Bath,  Maine,  August 
8,  1823,  and  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight.  Her  years 
were  few,  but  they  were,  says  Mr.  Adams,  "filled  with  the  glow- 
ing enthusiasm  of  an  ardent  soul.  Entering  with  zeal  on  the 
mission  work,  she  attached  herself  at  once  to  everything  in 
Iowa.  All  the  brethren,  all  the  sisters,  all  the  churches,  every- 
thing in  and  about  her  adopted  state,  was  hers.  Into  every 
plan  and  method  of  mission  labor,  she  threw  her  whole  soul. 
The  college,  now  in  its  prosperity,  is  the  result,  in  part,  of  her 
faith  and  her  gifts."  It  is  not  strange  that  her  two  sons 
should  graduate  from  the  college,  and  go  out  to  distinguished 
Christian  service,  "for  in  their  infancy,  she  gave  them  heartily 
and  befievingly  to  the  Lord."  After  the  labors  of  eight 
years  she  found  her  grave  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi. 
Later,  her  sons  laid  her  body  away  to  its  final  rest  in  "The 
Hazelwood"  at  Grinnell,  by  the  side  of  their  father. 

The  immigration  continued  in  great  volume,  but  the  emi- 


REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,    1850-1854         109 

gration,  too,  was  large.  The  great  procession  to  the  gold 
fields  of  the  Pacific  coast  marched  on  through  Iowa,  and  here 
and  there  Iowa  people  fell  in  with  the  moving  ranks.  One 
missionary  reported  nine  hundred  wagons  passing  through 
his  village,  bound  for  the  far  West.  Mr.  Bird,  of  Des  Moines, 
wrote:  "Since  the  middle  of  March,  our  town  has  been 
thronged  with  emigrants  to  California,  and  Oregon.  The 
effect  of  this  immense  throng,  all  'armed  to  the  teeth'  is  dis- 
astrous in  every  way."  Lions  always  thronged  the  path  of 
this  good  man. 

Churches  were  weakened  by  the  movement.  One  church 
this  year  reported  the  loss  of  one-fifth  of  its  membership, 
dismissed  to  go  West.  The  Montrose  church  sent  out  to 
CaUfornia  three  whole  families  bidding  them  good-bye 
with  songs  and  prayer  and  Christian  God-speed.  The  follow- 
ing from  Mr.  Gaylord:  ''We  have  dismissed  three  for  Oregon. 
At  first  I  felt  sad  that  any  should  leave  this  feeble  band.  But 
now  I  feel  that  the  hand  of  God  is  in  it,  and  that  our  loss  may 
be  the  means  of  laying  the  foundations  of  a  new  church  in 
that  country." 

Council  Bluffs  was  the  great  rendezvous  of  this  mighty 
migratory  host.  Brother  Rice  made  this  note :  "  It  is  estimated 
that  ten  thousand  people,  having  twenty  thousand  head  of 
cattle,  have  passed  through  this  place,  all  stopping  here  a 
longer  or  a  shorter  time,  and  taking  from  here  a  stock  of  pro- 
visions for  their  long  journey  across  the  mountains.  They 
have  pretty  well  drained  this  part  of  the  country." 

However,  he  reported  progress  in  his  missionary  work: 
"We  have  purchased  a  house  for  a  place  of  worship,  for  which 
we  paid  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars.  The  citizens 
subscribed  to  pay  for  it,  and  some  of  the  emigrants  passing 
through,  aided  us  a  little,  so  that  it  is  all  paid  for  but  fourteen 
dollars.  The  Methodists  occupy  it  with  us.  A  few  families 
of  Christians  have  come  in.  We  hope  to  be  able  to  organize 
a  church  soon." 


no  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

We  have  seen  how  the  waters  prevailed  down  in  the  Missouri 
Bottom  in  the  summer  of  1851.  Mr.  Todd,  returning  from  a 
long  and  weary  wading  circuit  of  his  far  extending  parish, 
and  Deacon  Gaston  coming  in  from  a  watery  trip  to  Nebraska 
City,  chanced  to  meet  at  the  stable  door.  The  deacon's 
salutation  is:  "I  have  had  enough  of  this."  The  preacher 
responds  "Amen!"  They  begin  at  once  to  hunt  for  a  suit- 
able place  on  higher  ground,  the  search  ending  at  Tabor. 

The  pastor  moved  to  his  new  cabin  two  miles  south  of  Tabor 
July  1,  1852,  and  here,  October  12,  the  church  of  eight  members 
was  organized,  the  place  of  meeting  for  a  year  or  more  being 
either  the  cabin  or  the  grove  outside.  Of  course  Mr.  Todd 
continued  his  missionary  labors  in  the  regions  round  about. 
He  too,  had  scruples  about  receiving  aid  from  the  Home 
Missionary  Society  on  account  of  its  supposed  "complicity 
with  slavery,"  and  turned  to  the  American  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation for  assistance. 

The  only  other  church  organized  this  year,  was  that  at 
Knoxville,  a  part  of  Brother  Burnham's  field.  July  15, 
Bellevue  dedicated  a  house  of  worship  costing  one  thousand, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  Doctor  Holbrook  preaching 
the  sermon.  This  year,  also  at  the  end  of  Mr.  Robbins' 
ninth  year,  Muscatine  assumed  self-support.  The  cost  to  the 
society  in  the  making  of  the  church  was  $3,000. 

This  year  Adrian  Van  VUet  assumed  charge  of  the  German 
work  at  Dubuque  and  vicinity;  J.  R.  Mershon  took  up 
the  work  at  Marion;  Joseph  C.  Cooper,  was  doing  evangel- 
istic work  at  Hillsboro,  Salem  and  other  places;  and  Henry 
K.  Edson  began  his  notable  career  at  Denmark  Academy. 

This  Joseph  C.  Cooper  was  not  new  to  Iowa,  for  he  was  one 
of  Father  Turner's  converts  in  1846.  He  was  a  son  of  the  sea, 
and  "loved  a  sailor's  life,  and  a  sailor's  vices."  On  a  rainy 
Sunday  he  strayed  into  church.  A  point  in  Father  Turner's 
sermon  was  a  barbed  arrow  to  him.  The  preacher  asserted 
that  "the  man  who  swears  is  as  much  under  obligation  to 


REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,    1850-1854         111 

pray  as  the  man  who  preaches."  He  went  home  saying: 
"Strange  doctrine  to-day!  Such  a  sinner  as  I  am,  who  don't 
know  that  there  is  any  God  to  pray  to, — such  as  I  pray?  Well, 
if  there  is  no  God,  it  will  be  only  empty  breath,  and  it  will 
do  no  hurt;  if  there  is  one,  it  may  do  good." 

Reaching  home,  he  took  down  his  Bible  and  said  to  his 
wife,  "I  am  going  to  set  up  family  prayer."  In  due  time,  of 
course,  he  learned  by  experience  that  "he  that  willeth  to  do 
his  will,  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,"  that  "God  is,  and  is 
a  rewarder  of  those  who  dihgently  seek  him."  He  threw 
himself  into  Christian  work  in  connection  with  the  church. 
In  1848  he  became  a  colporteur  of  the  Tract  Society,  and  now 
in  1852  he  began  a  remarkable  career  an  as  evangelist.  The 
utter  religious  abandon  of  the  man  is  illustrated  in  the  fol- 
lowing incident:  "In  one  place  where  he  preached  a  debt 
rested  on  the  little  house  of  worship.  It  was  due.  He  sold 
his  horse  and  buggy,  and  paid  it,  and  went  on  foot." 

Coming  now  to  1853,  Mr.  Reed  chronicled  "two  railroads 
within  eighty  miles  of  the  Mississippi,  and  in  another  year, 
will  reach  it.  Iowa  will  then  be  within  sixty  hours  of  New  Eng- 
land!" He  also  reported  thirteen  houses  of  worship  either 
completed  within  the  year,  or  in  process  of  erection,  church 
building  being  greatly  stimulated  by  the  $8,000  from  the 
Albany  fund.  Eddyville  had  a  joyful  dedication  January 
8,  Mr.  Spaulding  of  Ottumwa  preaching  the  sermon. 

Anamosa  was  contented  and  proud  and  happy  in  the  pos- 
session of  a  new  building  costing  six  hundred  dollars. 

Marion  was  ambitious  and  aspired  to  a  three  thousand 
dollar  building  of  brick,  35  x  35,  having  a  steeple,  too;  and 
now  they  wanted  a  bell  for  it,  and  proposed  to  strike  some  of 
those  "princely  merchants"  of  Boston,  for  the  bell;  and  they 
did  it  successfully.  Pastor  J.  R.  Mershon  thus  referred  to 
the  success  of  the  effort:  "A  very  large  and  splendid  bell 
costing  $350  at  the  foundry,  has  been  sent  us  from  Boston, 
two-thirds  of  the  purchase  money  being  donated  by  merchants 


112  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

in  that  city,  and  the  rest  by  our  members."  He  goes  on  to 
aver  that  the  bell  is  heard  by  several  thousands  of  people, 
"over  a  district  of  country  twelve  miles  in  diameter,  whose 
solitude,  but  a  few  years  ago,  was  broken  only  by  the  yell  of 
the  savage  and  the  cry  of  the  -wild  beast." 

At  Maquoketa,  too,  Father  Windsor  pastor,  there  was 
a  fine  October  day  of  great  rejoicing,  as  a  new  brick  building, 
32  X  50,  and  "surmounted  by  one  of  Meneely's  fine-toned 
bells"  was  dedicated,  standing  room  being  at  a  premium,  at  the 
dedicatory  sendees.  The  old  sod-covered  house  in  which 
Doctor  Salter  began  his  ministry  was  used  for  a  decade  or 
more,  then  a  brick  school-house,  which  was  the  common 
meeting  place  of  ever>i;hing  of  every  sort,  and  now,  in  1853 
this  real  church  home.  In  the  summer,  John  and  William 
were  at  home  from  college.  "They  helped  to  dig  the  founda- 
tion, haul  the  brick,  put  in  the  window  lights,  paint  the  sash, 
and  then  with  a  presumption  equaled  only  by  the  urging 
and  generous  response  of  the  people,  they  and  their  two 
oldest  sisters  gave  a  vocal  concert,  to  aid  in  putting  some 
furnishings  into  the  house." 

Brother  C.  H.  Gates  of  Fairfield  contemplates  with  great 
satisfaction  the  change  from  the  "old  leaky  house,"  "where 
he  had  to  move  the  Bible  to  keep  it  from  the  rain,"  to  the 
comely  structure,  beautiful,  attractive  and  comfortable  both 
in  summer  and  winter,  the  new  Biole  and  becoming  pulpit; 
those  easy  and  well-filled  seats;  that  choir,  increased  in  num- 
bers and  in  richness  of  its  music,  too,  by  the  soft  tones  of  a 
melodeon,"  etc.  There  was  certainly  no  shady  side  to  the 
picture.     This  was  Fairfield's  second  sanctuary. 

This  year  there  were  eight  new  churches,  as  follows:  Hills- 
boro,  Bowen's  Prairie,  Lansing,  Glasgow,  Salem,  Council 
Bluffs,  Quasqueton,  and  Farmersburg.  From  Lansing  to 
Council  Bluffs,  "as  the  crow  flieth,"  is  more  than  four  hundred 
miles,  so  widely  were  our  churches  scattered  even  as  early 
as  1853;  but  northwest  of  this  bee-Hne,  there  were  no  churches 


H 

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o 


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REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,    1850-1854         113 

and  few  settlements,  and  south  of  it,  beyond  the  Des  Moines, 
there  were  only  the  three  churches,  Knoxville,  Council  Bluffs, 
and  Tabor;  and  there  were  only  a  few  settlements, — these 
to  be  found  in  the  timber  skirting  the  streams. 

Up  to  this  year,  our  patriarchs  were  in  statu  quo,  except- 
ing as  Father  Emerson  had  once  shifted  his  place  of  residence 
and  changed  his  field  simply  by  taking  on  new  territory;  but 
now  John  C.  Holbrook,  after  eleven  years  of  service,  deserted 
Iowa  for  a  little  season,  accepting  a  call  to  the  New  England 
Church  of  Chicago,  and  to  the  editorship  of  "The  Prairie 
Herald,"  which  was  the  advance  sheets  of  "The  Advance," 
the  Rev.  Jesse  Guernsey  of  Connecticut,  taking  his  place 
as  pastor  at  Dubuque. 

Iowa  College  was  not  forgotten  at  the  meeting  of  the 
General  Association.  The  brethren  talked  and  prayed  and 
planned  for  the  college  this  year,  especially  as  a  source  of  supply 
for  the  ministry,  and  they  voted  to  raise  five  thousand  dollars, 
during  the  year,  two  thousand  of  it  to  be  for  scholarships 
for  the  benefit  of  young  men  studying  for  the  ministry.  Of 
course  they  started  the  subscription  on  the  spot,  securing 
$711. 

In  the  Autumn  of  this  year  a  new  professor  was  added 
to  the  teaching  force,  Rev.  Daniel  Lane  of  the  Band,  after 
ten  years  of  service  at  Keosauqua,  taking  the  chair  of  Moral 
and  Mental  Science,  and  also  the  principalship  of  the  pre- 
paratory department. 

In  1854  Iowa  College  graduated  its  first  class  consisting 
of  John  and  William  Windsor.  This  year,  railroads  began 
to  appear.  Three  of  them  were  just  across  the  river,  at  Du- 
buque, Davenport,  and  Burlington.  A  bridge  was  thrown 
across  the  river  at  Davenport  and  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island 
and  Pacific  was  thus  far  on  its  way  to  Council 
Bluffs.  There  was  great  excitement.  Nobody  knew  but  that 
he,  or  what  is  the  same  thing,  his  place  might  be  struck  by  a 
railroad.     Even  the  year  before.   Brother   Bird  at  Ft.   Des 


114  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Moines  was  dreading  the  demoralizing  effects  of  the  coming  of 
a  railroad!  Wapello  was  "confidently  expecting"  one  of  the 
"great  Pacific  Railroad  fines,"  and  also  "the  Ft.  Wayne, 
Lacon  and  Platte  Valley  fine."  This  last  was  a  name  for 
nothing  that  ever  was  reafized;  and  the  Rock  Island  missed 
Wapello  by  a  good  many  miles.  Mt.  Pleasant  spoke  with 
assurance :  "  We  are  to  have  a  railroad  pass  through  this  place, 
extending  from  Burlington  to  the  Missouri  River."  The 
pastor  hoped  thereby  to  have  a  better  class  of  citizens. 

Along  the  projected  line  of  the  Rock  Island  Road,  "far 
out  upon  the  prairie,"  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles 
west  of  Davenport,  was  a  pole  with  a  rag  attached.  To  a 
certain  young  preacher  Horace  Greeley  had  said  "Go  West, 
young  man,  go  West."  Now  this  young  preacher  was  out 
here  searching  for  that  pole,  for  he  has  learned  somehow  that 
it  marked  the  site  of  a  station  that  was  to  be.  He  preempted 
the  land,  staked  out  a  town,  planned  for  a  church,  and  pro- 
jected a  college.  This,  of  course,  was  Josiah  B.  Grinnell, 
the  unique,  in  a  class  by  himself.  He  grows  upon  you  as 
you  read  the  story  of  his  eventful  career.  This  was  the  begin- 
ning of  GrinneU,  town  and  church  and  college. 

Mr.  Reed  reported  this  year  eleven  new  church  buildings^ 
and  eleven  in  process  of  erection.  The  list  of  new  churches 
for  the  year  was  as  follows :  West  Union,  Copper  Creek,  Keo- 
kuk, North  Marion,  Decorah,  Sterling,  Le  Claire  Center, 
Wayne,  Elk  River,  Muscatine  German,  and  Toledo.  Of 
these  eleven,  five  continue  to  this  day,  in  all  their  days  doing 
good  service  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 

The  Keokuk  church  had  the  courage  to  be  born  partly  by 
reason  of  the  bequest  of  John  McKain,  a  thorough-going 
Congregationahst  from  Guilford,  Connecticut.  The  deed 
of  trust,  dated  December  25,  1846,  is  as  follows:  "Being  desir- 
ous of  promoting  the  cause  of  true  religion  in  the  township 
granted,  bargained,  and  sold  forty  acres  of  land  declared  to 
be  for  the  use,  benefit  and  support  of  an  orthodox  Congre- 


REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,    1850-1854         115 

gational  church  at  the  town  of  Keokuk,  to  be  called  and  named 
'the  Congregational  church  of  Keokuk,'"  Because  of  the 
income  of  this  bequest  in  the  early  days  of  the  church  this 
is  another  one  of  our  Iowa  churches  that  received  no  aid  from 
the  Home  Missionary  Society. 

Our  first  glimpse  of  our  now  substantial  church  at  Decorah 
is  in  a  report  of  the  missionary  pastor  at  Lansing,  the  Rev. 
Timothy  Lyman,  which  says:  "Last  Sabbath,  I  spent  at 
Decorah,  about  thirty-five  miles  west  of  this  place.  Here  I 
found  some  twelve  or  fourteen  who  had  been  members  of 
Congregational  churches.  If  a  church  were  organized  there, 
I  think  some  sixteen  would  join  it." 

A  little  time  after  the  visit,  a  church  of  ten  members  was 
organized  with  the  advice  and  council  of  Julius  A.  Reed, 
Home  Missionary  Agent,  and  Rev.  William  A.  Keith,  who 
previously  had  labored  at  Maquoketa  and  Andrew,  and  then 
at  Tipton.  Mr.  Keith  was  at  once  invited  to  the  Pastorate  of 
the  Decorah  church  and  there  remained  until  July  of  1857. 

The  Wayne  church  started  out  with  a  plentiful  supply  of 
Smiths,  including  the  preacher,  Elijah  P.  Smith,  his  father 
and  his  brothers,  Charles  and  Sylvester;  and  the  Smiths  con- 
tinue, for  the  church's  good,  unto  this  day.  To  one  who  has 
known  this  people,  the  mention  of  the  "Wayne  Church," 
brings  up  the  picture  of  a  godly,  church-going.  Sabbath- 
keeping  New  England  community,  reproduced  out  here  on 
the  prairies  of  Iowa. 

Later  the  church  moved  up  to  the  railroad  station,  and  the 
name  was  changed  to  Olds. 

The  organization  of  the  Muscatine  German  church  was 
with  a  good  deal  of  stress  and  strain  and  storm.  It  was  the 
separation  of  evangelical  from  unevangelical  elements  and 
organizations  in  the  city.  The  life  of  the  missionary,  Chris- 
tian F.  Veitz,  was  threatened  by  some  of  the  enemies  of  the 
new  movement.  However,  there  were  eighteen  charter  mem- 
bers of  the  new  organization. 


116  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

This  year,  the  churches  of  the  Missouri  slope,  though  only- 
four  in  number,  and  two  of  these  as  good  as  dead,  with  a  total 
membership  of  forty,  organized  themselves  into  "The  Council 
Bluffs  Association";  this,  of  course,  simply  because  of  their 
great  distance  from  other  churches.  However,  the  advance 
guards  were  creeping  forward,  and  George  B.  Hitchcock, 
missionary  for  ten  years  at  Eddyville,  Oskaloosa,  and  in 
Marion  and  Jasper  Counties,  was  now  out  in  Cass  County, 
and  we  will  soon  hear  of  churches  at  Lewis,  Grove  City,  Atlan- 
tic, etc.,  and  Council  Bluffs,  Tabor,  Florence  and  Civil  Bend 
will  have  company. 

Bowen's  Prairie,  recently  organized,  affords  a  good  example 
of  the  mission  of  Congregationalism  in  Iowa  to  minis- 
ter to  populations  gathered  from  the  ends  of  the  earth.  The 
missionary  Thomas  H.  Canfield  wrote:  "There  are  representa- 
tives here  of  almost  every  state  in  the  Union,  and  from  several 
European  countries;  and  in  my  own  immediate  neighborhood, 
are  persons  from  twelve  denominations.  I  often  have  in 
my  congregation,  people  of  a  dozen  different  states,  besides 
foreigners  and  representatives  of  a  dozen  different  denomina- 
tions." 

The  brethren  at  the  General  Association  must  needs  give 
the  old  mother  Society  another  gentle  reminder  that  her 
attitude  toward  slaveholding  church  members  is  not  satis- 
factory to  them,  and  they  say  to  the  old  missionary  Boards, 
"We  are  constrained  to  feel  and  utter  the  conviction  that  in 
order  to  retain  the  sympathies  and  cooperation  of  the  churches 
of  this  Association,  those  Boards  should  give  unequivocal 
evidence  of  their  opposition  to  slavery,  by  withholding  aid 
from  churches  which  receive  voluntary  slaveholders  to  their 
communion."  They  make  also  a  specific  demand  on  the 
"American  Board,  to  define  its  position  on  the  subject  of 
slavery." 

November  4,  of  this  year.  Rev.  E.  C.  A.  Woods,  of  Wapello, 
dropped  out  of  the    missionary  ranks  in  answer  to  a  call  to 


REACHING   THE   MISSOURI,    1850-1854        117 

higher  service.  Three  days  before  his  death,  his  church  dedi- 
cated a  house  of  worship.  He  died  at  the  age  of  thirty. 
Brother  Salter  was  with  him  as  he  passed  out  into  the  other 
Ufe  and  conducted  the  funeral  services.  This  was  the  third  of 
the  Iowa  workers  called  away  from  the  field  by  death;  Horace 
Hutchinson  of  Burlington  being  the  first,  and  A.  W.  Thompson 
of  Troy,  Fairfield  and  Port  Byron,  the  second. 


Chapter  VII 
UP  IN  THE  NORTH   COUNTRY,   1855-1860 

We  have  now,  in  a  way,  covered  the  "Black  Hawk  Pur- 
chase" with  our  Christian  institutions;  we  have  touched  a 
point  here  and  there  in  the  New  Purchase,  especially  down  the 
lower  Des  Moines;  we  have  reached  the  Missouri;  and  now,  in 
the  year  1855,  there  were  in  the  Council  Bluffs  Association 
five  churches  with  ninety-four  members,  including  Lewis  and 
Magnolia  just  organized.  Tabor,  only  three  years  old,  with 
a  membership  of  fifty,  assumed  self-support,  and  raised 
one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  benevolence,  and  the  Asso- 
ciation was  planning  to  start  a  college.  In  Central  Iowa, 
churches  were  organized  this  year  at  Grinnell,  Otho,  and 
Webster  City.  Congregationalism  was  moving  westward 
in  Northern  Iowa,  taking  in  Monona,  Decorah,  and  Fayette. 
Immigration  was  at  flood  tide  and  spreading  all  over,  but  for 
a  time  the  greatest  developments  were  in  the  Upper  Cedar 
Valley,  along  the  "Wapsie,"  the  Shell  Rock,  and  the  Upper 
Des  Moines.  Christian  work  had  been  going  on  for  some  time 
at  Cedar  Rapids  and  Marion,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Vin- 
ton. Home  Missionary  beginnings  in  which  we  had  a  part 
through  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society,  though  under 
Presbyterian  auspices,  had  been  made  at  Cedar  Falls  and 
Janesville,  and  now  the  church  at  Bradford  began  its  life  of 
honor  and  usefulness,  men  and  women  of  exceptionally  forceful 
character  being  its  charter  members. 

The  first  missionary  pastor  in  this  field  was  that  humble, 
patient,  self-sacrificing  man  of  God,  Ozias  Littlefield.  In 
January  of  1850,  he  took  Brother  J.  J.  Hill's  place  at  Garna- 

118 


UP  IN   THE  NORTH   COUNTRY,    1855-1860     119 

villo,  and  was  there  for  three  years.  In  1854  he  labored  at 
Elkader,  and  Farmersburg;  and  now,  July  12,  1855,  he  entered 
upon  a  two  years'  ministry  at  Bradford,  including  in  his  field 
Charles  City  and  Floyd  Center. 

At  first  "the  boys"  took  delight  in  pestering  the  parson, 
and  made  life  a  weariness  to  the  good  man.  They  abstracted 
one  of  his  buggy  wheels;  they  attempted  to  disfigure  his  horse, 
but  by  mistake  inflicted  the  dishonor  upon  a  nag  belonging  to 
Mr.  Ed.  Greely,  one  of  the  great  men  of  the  town.  But  the 
good  man  went  on  his  way,  and  the  boys  became  ashamed  of 
their  meanness,  and  some  of  them  afterwards  became  all 
sorts  of  Aarons  and  Hurs  in  the  church. 

The  new  organizations  of  the  year  numbered  ten.  Among 
them  the  following:  Magnolia  started  out  with  only  three 
members.  One  of  them  was  Rev.  W.  W.  Ludden,  a  licentiate, 
from  Union  Theological  Seminary.  Of  course,  Brother  G.  G. 
Rice  of  Council  Bluffs  had  to  do  with  the  gathering  of  this 
church.  He  began  holding  services  there  in  1853,  when  there 
were  only  four  Gentile  families  in  the  community,  and  when 
the  only  thing  on  the  town-plot  was  a  pole  with  a  flag  on  it, 
marking  the  center  of  the  village  that  was  to  be.  The  church 
has  done  a  splendid  work  in  the  world.  Newell  Dwight 
Hillis,  the  peerless  preacher  of  Plymouth,  Brooklyn,  is  a  Mag- 
nolia boy,  and  in  part  a  product  of  that  little  Home  Missionary 
church. 

If  any  church  in  Iowa  had  better  beginnings  in  its  mem- 
bership than  the  Otho  church,  it  was  fortunate  beyond 
reason.  There  could  be  no  better  foundation  material  than 
Lucien  and  Norman  Hart,  and  their  families.  Much  of  the 
time  without  a  pastor,  services  were  conducted  regularly  by 
the  members,  and  they  carried  on  two  or  three  Sunday-schools 
in  outlying  neighborhoods. 

The  Grinnell  church  "had  its  inception  in  the  worship  of 
eight  persons  in  the  log  cabin  of  Perry  Matterson,"  J.  B. 
Grinnell,  the  preacher.     The  second  service,   "with  a  larger 


120  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

congregation,  was  in  the  shade  of  the  native  oaks  at  Mr,  Oak- 
ley's; then  the  people  gathered  in  the  "long,  rough,  board 
shanty"  called  "The  Long  Home";  next  in  the  church  building 
of  oak  boards,  built  in  a  week,  and  costing  less  than  two 
hundred  dollars  including  the  furnishings.  The  church  was 
organized,  with  twenty  members,  less  than  a  year  after  the 
founding  of  the  town.  For  eight  years  the  church  had  no 
regular  pastor,  but  from  the  first,  it  had  in  its  membership  a 
bunch  of  preachers,  those  of  the  first  year  being  J.  B.  Grinnell, 
Samuel  Loomis,  and  Stephen  Herrick. 

The  Webster  City  church,  was  organized  with  five  members, 
thirty  days  after  the  survey  of  the  town  plot  lot,  and  twenty- 
eight  days  before  the  establishing  of  the  Post  Office.  Rev. 
Messrs.  W.  L.  Coleman  and  T.  N.  Skinner,  assisted  in  the 
organization.  During  the  first  year  the  church  had  no  pastor, 
and  only  now  and  then  a  sermon  by  some  preacher  who 
happened  to  pass  that  way. 

The  Fayette  church  organized  this  year  had  for  its  first 
pastor,  Rev.  Stephen  D.  Helms,  his  parish  including  Lima 
and  West  Union.  He  was  a  native  of  New  York,  educated 
at  Oberlin,  "by  choice  a  Presbyterian,"  he  says,  "but  being 
shut  out  of  that  church  by  my  heresy,"  as  he  confesses,  in 
the  spring  of  1848,  he  found  fellowship  in  the  Congregational 
ranks.  He  came  to  Iowa  in  1849;  labored  four  years  in  Jackson 
County,  and  then  came  to  Fayette  County,  this  being  his 
home  to  the  end  of  his  life,  March  15,  1887. 

Among  the  many  pastoral  changes  of  the  year,  two  are 
worthy  of  special  mention.  Ephraim  Adams,  of  the  Band, 
one  year  at  Mount  Pleasant,  and  eleven  at  Davenport,  now 
dropped  out  of  the  pastorate  for  a  season  to  become  the 
financial  agent  of  the  college;  and  George  F.  Magoun,  from 
the  state  of  Maine,  a  graduate  of  Bowdoin  and  Andover,  took 
Brother  Adams'  place  in  the  Davenport  pastorate,  and  here 
commenced  his  notable  career  in  Iowa.  One  of  the  old 
patriarchs,  too,   Reuben  Gaylord,   after  seventeen  years  of 


G.  F.  MAGOIN 


G.  A.  GATES 


DAN  F.  BRADLEY  J,  H.  T.  MAIN 

PRESIDENTS  OF  IOWA  COLLEGE 


UP  IN  THE  NORTH  COUNTRY,   1855-1860     121 

service  in  Iowa,  at  Danville  and  the  regions  round  about, 
passed  on  to  his  great  life  work  in  Nebraska.  The  breaking 
up  at  Danville,  and  leaving  Iowa,  was  a  trying  experience. 
He  writes:  "The  deed  is  done.  We  have  bid  adieu  to  all 
friends  made  in  a  seventeen  years'  ministry,  and  now  stand 
on  the  frontier  where  I  stood  seventeen  years  ago,  except  that 
frontier  is  three  hundred  miles  further  west,  on  the  Missouri 
instead  of  the  Mississippi.  I  was  dismissed  November  7th, 
the  next  Sabbath  preached  my  farewell  sermon,  and  then 
bent  my  energies  to  preparation  for  my  journey,  and  closed 
up  my  business,  so  that  we  were  ready  to  leave  on  the  sixth 
of  December."  The  final  parting  was  a  counterpart  of  that 
of  St.  Paul  with  the  elders  of  the  church  at  Ephesus.  The 
journey  this  December  weather  was  not  in  a  Pullman  parlor 
coach,  but  it  was  by  wagon,  in  mud  and  rain  and  sleet  and 
snow,  through  half  frozen  streams,  etc.  When  Mr.  Gaylord 
crossed  over  into  Omaha,  "carrying  the  Sabbath  with  him 
across  the  Missouri,"  it  was  Christmas  day  in  the  afternoon, 
and  very  cold. 

This  year,  McGregor  first  comes  into  view  as  a  missionary 
field,  and  the  missionary  preacher,  located  at  Monona,  gives 
it  a  pretty  hard  name.  He  says,  "At  McGregor's  Landing, 
steamboats  load  and  unload  upon  the  Sabbath,  just  as  they 
do  other  days;  and  the  whistle  of  the  boat  is  a  signal  for  a 
general  gathering.  Merchandise  of  all  kinds  is  freely  carried 
forth  from  the  village.  There  has  been  no  regular  preaching 
there  during  the  summer  with  the  exception  of  my  monthly 
appointments;  and  the  attendance  has  been  small.  It  is 
unpopular  to  attend  meeting.  The  house  in  which  we  meet  is 
small  and  uncomfortable;  and  we  have  no  bell,  and  sometimes 
no  singing.  We  have  tried  to  build  a  comfortable  school- 
house;  but  the  chief  men  of  the  place,  being  opposed  to 
religious  meetings,  thwarted  the  effort,  as  they  could  not 
get  a  vote  that  it  should  not  be  used  for  religious  pur- 
poses."    It  is  difficult  for  those  of  us  who  know  the  Mc- 


122  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Gregor  of  to-day,  to  recognize  this  as  a  true  picture  of  the 
McGregor  of  1855. 

Tlake  it  all  in  all,  1856  was  one  of  the  most  notable  years 
in  our  history.  The  immigrant  rush  was  unprecedented. 
Settlements  were  pushing  up  all  the  streams  toward  the  north 
and  the  northwest,  and,  in  some  places,  anticipating  the  rail- 
roads, the  spaces  between  the  rivers  were  being  filled  up.  Four 
railroads  put  in  an  appearance  on  our  eastern  borders,  and  two 
of  them  were  striking  out  for  Council  Bluffs.  January  3, 
the  Rock  Island  was  formally  opened  for  passenger  service  as 
far  west  as  Iowa  City.  In  1850,  Julius  A.  Reed  said  it  would 
not  pay  to  survey  parts  of  Iowa  at  all,  but  now  in  1856,  stand- 
ing on  the  western  borders,  at  the  beginnings  of  Sioux  City, 
he  prophesied:  "I  am  satisfied  that  within  three  years  every 
county  in  Iowa  will  have  a  considerable  population.  There 
is  not  a  poor  county  in  the  state.  It  is  now  settled  almost 
beyond  the  possibility  of  a  doubt,  that,  within  ten  years,  four 
railroads  will  be  constructed  across  the  state,  from  east  to 
west,  commencing  at  Dubuque,  Lyons,  Davenport,  and  Bur- 
Ungton.  Within  that  time,  too,  a  railroad  will  be  constructed 
up  the  Des  Moines  Valley,  intersecting  all  these  roads,  and 
another  up  the  Missouri  from  St.  Louis  to  Sioux  City,  unless 
slavery  prevents  it."  Slavery  did  not  prevent  it,  though 
slavery  and  the  war  for  and  against  slavery  did  delay  a  little  the 
fulfillment  of  the  prophecy. 

Twenty  churches  were  organized  this  year.  The  first  was 
Ft.  Dodge.  Services  were  held  in  "the  old  log  school-house," 
of  course.  Rev.  T.  N.  Skinner  who  had  a  genius  for  being  on 
the  frontier,  presided  at  the  organization,  and  served  the 
church  for  a  time  as  pastor. 

Iowa  Falls  was  the  second  church  for  the  year.  This  church 
had  its  origin  in  a  colony  of  the  three  or  four  famihes  from  Ohio. 
They  settled  first  about  eight  miles  from  the  Falls,  and  the 
organization  was  first  known  as  the  EUis  Church;  but  in  1856, 
it  was  located  at  the  village,  and  the  name  changed  to  "The 


UP  IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,    1855-1860     123 

Congregational  Church  of  Iowa  Falls  and  EUistown."  The 
Minutes  of  1860,  in  a  foot-note  record:  "These  churches 
were  organized  in  Geanga  County,  Ohio,  March  20,  1855, 
arrived  at  Elhs,  Hardin  County,  Iowa,  May  21st,  1856." 
Rev.  John  Wilcox  was  the  first  pastor. 

The  Cass  church,  one  of  the  organizations  of  the  year,  has 
always  been  in  close  fellowship  with  the  church  at  Anamosa. 
In  1855,  Rev.  S.  P.  La  Due,  pastor  at  Anamosa,  held  occa- 
sional services  in  the  Cass  Center  school-house,  then  without 
plaster,  paint  or  seats.  The  inside  congregation  was  com- 
prised of  two  or  three  famihes,  while  the  boys  and  men  of  the 
neighborhood  sat  on  the  fence  outside  and  joined  in  the  service 
as  much  or  as  little  as  they  liked.  These  services,  continued 
by  the  next  Anamosa  pastor.  Rev.  S.  A.  Benton,  created  a  de- 
mand for  the  church.  Five  of  the  seventeen  charter  members 
were  Condits.  The  church  has  never  been  large,  but  it  has 
done  good  service  for  the  community,  the  state  and  the  world. 

Buckingham  organized  with  seven  members,  was  the  early 
name  for  our  splendid  church  at  Traer,  but  there  is  an  earher 
name  still.  When  the  church  was  organized,  "in  a  log  cabin," 
by  OHver  Emerson,  they  called  it  "The  Twelve-Mile  Creek 
church."  Traer  was  not,  nor  dreamed  of  then.  Bucking- 
ham was  soon  substituted  for  the  pioneer  name,  Governor 
Buckingham  of  Massachusetts  becoming  interested  in  the 
church  and  community.  Rev.  J.  R.  Upton  was  the  first 
pastor;  but  this  was  not  to  be  his  field,  and  he  was  not  the 
man  ordained  to  build  the  church. 

Manchester,  first  called  Burrington,  its  "calling  and  elec- 
tion" made  sure  by  the  approach  of  the  Dubuque  and  Sioux 
City  Road,  attracted  the  attention  of  Rev.  Alpheus  Graves, 
then  pastor  of  Yankee  Settlement.  He  began  services  here  in 
1855.  The  first  pastor,  Rev.  L.  B.  Fifield,  beginning  with  the 
inception  of  the  church,  was  pastor  for  four  years. 

With  the  organization  of  the  Vernon  Springs  or  New  Oregon 
church,  later  moved  to  Cresco,  we  are  introduced  to  a  new 


124  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

country  up  in  Howard  County.  "Father  Windsor,"  coming 
up  from  Maquoketa,  was  bishop  of  the  whole  region.  This 
was  the  first  church  in  the  county.  Things  were  about  as 
new  as  they  could  be.  Some  families  were  living  in  their  cov- 
ered wagons,  some  in  tents,  some  in  sod  houses,  and  some  in 
log  houses,  while  a  very  few  had  somewhat  better  places  of 
abode.  The  first  communion  season  was  "an  occasion  long 
to  be  remembered."  Even  Baptists  sat  down  with  other 
Christians  at  the  Lord's  table. 

Our  Newton  church,  now  one  of  our  best,  started  in  a  very 
feeble  way  its  grand  career,  Sept.  17,  Rev.  E.  P.  Kimball, 
now  residing  at  Waterloo,  the  pastor. 

In  the  beginning  of  1856,  Waterloo  was  simply  a  town  plot, 
but  by  September  there  were  enough  of  good  people  in  the 
place  to  form  a  Congregational  church  of  six  members.  "The 
old  log  school  house"  again  did  service  on  this  occasion.  The 
church  was  organized  by  a  Council,  Father  OUver  Emerson 
the  moderator.  J.  H.  Leavitt,  known  throughout  the  state 
for  fifty  years  as  a  man  of  piety  and  good  works,  was  one  of 
the  charter  members.  Thomas  La  Due  was  the  first  pastor. 
The  council  called  to  ordain  him  advised  that  before  ordination 
he  should  take  a  course  in  Chicago  Seminary.  What  Council 
since  has  shown  a  hke  fidelity?  Mr.  La  Due  soon  left  the 
Seminary  and  united  with  the  Free  Methodists.  For  two 
years  this  church  received  aid  from  the  American  Missionary 
Association,  undoubtedly  induced  to  do  so  by  the  influence  of 
Father  Emerson,  who  at  that  time  was  "at  outs"  with  the 
Home  Missionary  Society. 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  John  Todd  was  at  the  bottom  of 
the  Glenwood  church.  This  was  one  of  his  numerous  preach- 
ing places,  and  he  continued  to  serve  the  church  for  some  time 
after  its  organization.  Williamsburg,  one  of  the  best  of  our 
Welsh  churches,  now  entered  upon  its  life  of  service  for  the 
Kingdom.  The  church  has  always  been  a  joy  and  a  blessing 
in   our    Congregational  fellowship.     The   man  who   perhaps 


UP  IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,    1855-1860     125 

above  all  others  had  to  do  with  the  making  of  the  church,  was 
Evan  J.  Evans,  born  at  Llanegryn,  Wales,  in  1810.  From  boy- 
hood, up,  he  was  a  staunch  Dissenter,  and  an  outspoken  advo- 
cate of  Disestablishment.  He  organized  a  church,  though 
unordained,  and  was  its  pastor  for  a  number  of  years  before 
coming  to  America  in  1847.  After  serving  churches  in  New 
York  and  Wisconsin,  he  took  hold  of  the  new  enterprise  at 
Williamsburg  and  continued  in  its  service  for  fourteen  years. 
The  church  soon  became  strong  in  numbers  and  in  influence. 
For  many  years  its  membership  included  practically  every 
adult  Welsh  person  within  a  radius  of  four  or  five  miles.  At 
the  Cymanfa — the  "Big  Meeting,"  lasting  three  days,  three 
services  each  day  and  two  sermons  at  each  service  as  a  rule, 
unless  prevented  by  exceptional  circumstances,  every  member 
of  the  community  was  present  at  each  service.  One  of  the 
children  of  the  Williamsburg  parsonage  is  William  D.  Evans, 
a  distinguished  judge  of  our  Iowa  Supreme  Court.  There  were 
ten  other  noble  sons  and  daughters  in  that  house.  "The  dear 
old  mother  still  lives  in  the  old  home  which  she  has  dominated 
for  nearly  fifty  years  as  kindly  as  an  angel.  The  patriarch 
reached  the  end  of  his  pilgrimage  January  18,  1884,  and  was 
buried  in  the  little  cemetery  at  Williamsburg  with  all  the 
affection  which  a  community  could  bestow." 

Iowa  City  was  late  in  finding  a  place  in  our  ranks,  for  the 
reason  that  two  Presbyterian  churches,  Old  and  New  School, 
occupied  the  ground  sufiiciently.  But  now  the  New  School 
Church  disbanded,  and  a  new  organization  after  the  Congre- 
gational way  was  substituted.  The  membership,  however, 
was  only  seventeen.  The  church  was  organized  by  Council, 
November  26,  President  Blanchard  of  Wheaton  being  the 
moderator.  Rev.  Thomas  Morong,  of  Andover  Seminary, 
was  the  first  pastor.  After  a  brief  stay  he  returned  to  Massa- 
chusetts, and  this  first  attempt  to  plant  a  Congregational 
church  in  Iowa  City  met  with  but  little  success.  Success 
came  later. 


126  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

This  year  1856  is  also  made  memorable  by  the  advent  of 
"Father  Taylor"  and  "Father  Sands."  The  story  of  Father 
Sands  comes  more  properly  a  decade  later,  after  he  had  "found 
his  place,"  but  a  little  sketch  of  the  realistic  romance,  "The 
Patriarch  of  the  Prairie,"  may  as  well  be  recorded  here. 

Rev.  Chauncey  Taylor  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  born  upon 
one  of  the  Green  Mountain  hills,  in  a  log  cabin,  February  17, 
1805.  His  people  were  rich  only  in  faith  and  good  works. 
His  heritage  from  them  was  the  careful  training  of  a  Puritan 
household.  Working  his  way  through  college,  he  graduated 
from  the  Vermont  University  in  1831.  He  never  saw  the 
inside  or  even  the  outside  of  a  theological  seminary.  "I 
studied  theology,"  he  said,  "in  the  chimney  corner,  with  the 
Bible  for  my  text  book,  explained  by  the  '  Assembly's  Shorter 
Catechism,'  illustrated  by  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress,  and 
enforced  by  the  godly  lives  of  my  parents." 

A  parish  opened  to  him  in  one  of  the  little  hill  towns  of  his 
native  state.  In  1838  he  chanced  upon  some  literature  setting 
forth  the  prospects  of  the  new  territory  of  Iowa.  Ever  after 
his  heart  was  in  the  land  beyond  the  Mississippi,  though  he 
waited  twenty  years  for  the  opportunity  to  come  West.  Even 
then  he  made  the  opportunity.  "The  newer  the  place  the 
better"  he  said.  So,  early  in  1856,  as  the  snows  were  melting, 
and  the  frozen  streams  were  breaking  up,  he  stood  at  the 
door  of  Julius  A.  Reed,  Home  Missionary  Superintendent,  at 
Davenport.  He  visited  some  of  the  churches  in  Eastern  Iowa, 
but  they  were  too  much  "established"  for  him.  "If  I  am 
going  West,  I  might  as  well  make  a  business  of  it,"  he  said. 
He  had  heard  of  Fort  Dodge,  and  he  would  see  what  that  was 
like.  So  on  he  went,  by  rail  to  Iowa  City,  and  then  by  stage- 
coach,— indeed  there  were  five  coaches  in  a  bunch, — to  Fort 
Des  Moines.  Seeking  a  stage-coach  passage  to  Fort  Dodge, 
he  was  informed  that  the  stage-coach  went  on  horseback.  He 
went  on  foot.  Fort  Dodge,  too,  was  too  ancient  for  him. 
The  newest  thing  out  in  the  region,  just  then,  was  Algona. 


CHAUNCY  TAYLOR 


WM.  L.  COLEMAN 


'^'    J^^    : 


f 


A.  S.  ALLEN  J.  D.  MASON 

MEN  OF  THE  NORTH  COUNTRY 


UP   IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,    1855-1860     127 

At  this  place,  Saturday  afternoon,  April  19,  1856,  he  made 
his  first  appearance  thus:  "With  an  oak  stick  for  a  cane,  my 
pants  tucked  into  my  boot-legs,  my  satchel  swinging  over  my 
shoulder,  my  overcoat  over  my  arm,  and  what  especially  dis- 
tinguished me,  with  a  stovepipe  hat  upon  my  head." 

A  few  men  were  laying  out  the  town  when  he  arrived.  He 
preached  for  the  people  on  Sunday;  he  labored  with  them  for 
two  years,  and  then  organized  a  little  church  of  five  members. 
At  the  end  of  four  years  the  church  had  dwindled  down  to 
three  members,  only  one  outside  the  minister's  own  family. 
It  was  nine  years  before  the  church  had  developed  sufficiently 
to  have  a  single  deacon:  deacon  timber  was  scarce  in  the 
region  at  that  time.  It  was  nine  years  before  the  church  had 
a  house  of  worship. 

The  interesting  and  sometimes  pathetic  incidents  of  Father 
Taylor's  life  in  Iowa  would  fill  many  pages.  At  the  burial  of 
his  wife,  soon  after  coming  to  Algona,  as  no  minister  could  be 
secured,  he  himself  conducted  the  services,  and  his  daughter 
led  the  singing. 

Two  years  of  isolation  in  his  frontier  parish,  produced  a 
hunger  for  fellowship  with  his  brethren  which  must  be  satisfied. 
The  meeting  this  year,  1858,  was  at  Dubuque.  Public  con- 
veyance was  too  expensive  for  his  poor  pocket-book,  and  he 
had  no  conveyance  of  his  own  at  all  adequate  for  such  a  jour- 
ney, except  his  two  feet.  He  began  the  famous  journey  May 
18,  heading  out  for  Forest  City,  but,  missing  the  way,  wandered 
off  into  Minnesota.  Thursday  evening.  May  20,  he  preached 
at  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Pratt,  a  few  miles  southeast  of  Blue 
Earth.  Sunday,  the  23d,  he  spent  with  a  German  family 
about  four  miles  north  of  Northwood.  The  next  Sunday  he 
was  with  Brother  Adams  of  Decorah.  "It  was  a  very  rainy 
day,"  he  says,  "and  I  presume  Brother  Adams  was  very  glad 
to  have  some  one  to  preach  to  his  small  congregation,  and  also 
glad  that  it  rained  so  that  there  were  but  a  few  persons  to 
complain  because  he  let  that  old,  dull,  superannuated  man 


128  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

preach  instead  of  preaching  himself."  "Arrived  at  Lansing 
June  1st,"  he  says.  "Called  on  Brother  George  Bent. 
Preached  for  him  in  the  evening.  Took  the  boat  sometime  in 
the  night  for  Dubuque."  His  return  trip  was  by  rail  to 
Nottingham,  the  Earlville  of  to-day;  by  stage  to  Cedar  Falls; 
with  an  ox  team,  sent  down  from  Algona  for  supplies,  to 
Iowa  Falls;  from  there  mostly  "on  foot."  For  the  privileges  of 
the  meeting  he  paid  the  price  of  walking  over  two  hundred 
miles;  and  testified  that  he  had  abundant  compensation  for  his 
pains.  "I  arrived  at  home,"  he  says,  "June  16th,  having 
been  absent  a  little  over  three  weeks,  having  traveled  about 
five  hundred  and  seventy-five  miles,  and  expended  fourteen 
dollars."  Six  years  later  he  had  an  experience  in  "going  to 
mill"  and  to  a  meeting  of  the  Northwestern  Association  at 
Iowa  Falls.  He  was  caught  in  a  blizzard;  twice  his  wagon 
broke  down;  his  face  was  badly  frozen.  It  took  two  weeks 
to  attend  the  meeting  and  to  get  a  little  grist  of  flour. 

This  year,  too,  the  Dubuque  people,  with  great  rejoicing, 
welcomed  back  their  pastor,  Doctor  Holbrook,  from  Chicago, 
and  he  fell  into  his  old  evangelistic  meeting  habit,  at  home 
and  abroad.  This  year,  also,  John  K.  Nutting  made  his 
advent,  starting  in  with  a  few  months  of  service  at  Eddyville. 
When  ordained  at  Eddyville,  he  had  accepted  a  call  to  Polk 
City,  and  was  the  first  pastor  at  that  place. 

The  German  work  of  the  state  suffered  a  great  loss  this  year 
in  the  death  of  Brother  Carl  V.  Hess. 

The  meeting  of  the  State  Association  was  at  Grinnell,  the 
church  then  only  a  httle  more  than  a  year  old,  and  the  town 
only  a  year  older  than  the  church.  The  presumption  of  the 
undertaking  had  its  explanation  in  the  fact  that  "  J.  B.  Grin- 
nell" lived  in  the  town.  However,  the  church  even  then  had 
a  membership  of  ninety-five,  and  church  and  to^wTi  had  great 
expectations  and  a  good  degree  of  self-assurance.  Mr.  Grinnell 
was  as  much  as  anybody  the  pastor  of  the  church.  His  com- 
ments respecting  the  meeting  are  as  follows:  "There  are  two 


UP  IN  THE  NORTH  COUNTRY,   1855-1860    129 

mysteries :  How  the  state  ministers  and  delegates  came  to  ac- 
cept an  invitation,  and  how  our  people  came  to  give  it.  The 
nearest  railroad  was  sixty-five  miles  east;  stages  were  crowded, 
and  springless  wagons,  offered  for  the  occasion,  furnished  the 
best  means  of  travel.  These  wagons  were  free;  but  whp,t  a 
weary,  unromantic  trip  for  the  visitors,  society  agents,  and 
venerable  D.D.s,  like  Doctor  Tappan  of  Maine,  who  preached 
the  sermon.     It  was  bravery  and  devotion." 

Doctor  Tappan  preached  the  sermon  in  the  midst  of  a 
thunder  storm.  Brethren  wanted  him  to  stop,  but  he  said: 
"I  came  fifteen  hundred  miles  to  give  the  sermon  and  no  rain 
or  thunder,  nothing  short  of  a  lightning  stroke,  is  to  stop  me." 
One  of  the  Iowa  ministers  reports  the  meeting  thus: "From Iowa 
City,  we  traveled  in  lumber  wagons,  and  we  had  a  rough  ride. 
It  paid  well,  however^  for  we  had  an  excellent  meeting.  We 
found  Grinnell  in  a  very  flourishing  condition  in  every  respect. 
The  town  contains  seventy  houses,  and  five  hundred  inhab- 
itants. A  high  school  edifice,  which  cost  about  four  thousand, 
five  hundred  dollars  and  has  a  fine  bell,  presented  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Grinnell,  has  already  been  completed.  The  building  is 
forty  feet  square,  and  two  stories  high.  We  held  our  sessions 
in  it.  At  the  close  of  our  meeting,  a  collection  to  assist  the 
poor  in  Kansas  was  taken  up."  Of  course,  this  meeting  at 
Grinnell  took  cognizance  of  the  great  struggle  going  on  in 
Kansas : 

Resolved,  that  we  have  heard  with  profound  sorrow  and  indignation 
of  the  outrages  that  have  been  inflicted  upon  our  fellow  citizens  of  Kansas, 
by  hordes  of  armed  men  from  Missoiu"i,  for  the  purpose  of  crushing  out 
hberty  there;  and  of  the  cowardly  and  murderous  assault  upon  Honor- 
able Charles  Sumner,  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  by  a  representative  from 
South  Carolina.  Every  sentiment  of  justice,  Uberty  and  religion  demands 
of  the  government  the  protection  of  the  people  of  Kansas  in  the  full  enjoy- 
ment of  all  their  rights  as  American  citizens.  We  sympathize  most  deeply 
with  our  brethren  in  Kansas,  and  pledge  ourselves  to  aid  them  in  every 
Constitutional  way  to  maintain  their  rights  and  defend  the  institutions  of 
freedom. 

10 


130  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

So  far  as  resolutions  would  do  it,  they  gave  the  monster 
slavery  another  stunning  blow.  They  ease  up  on  the  Home 
Missionary  Society  a  bit,  rejoicing,  "In  the  position  of  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society  in  regard  to  slavery  as 
indicated  in  the  May  number  of  the  Home  Missionary  for  the 
current  year." 

They  rejoiced  also  in  the  success  of  Iowa  College;  and  favored 
the  plans  for  establishing  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary. 
They  promised  support  to  the  Congregational  Herald  of 
Chicago;  and  they  urged  the  calling  of  another  National  Con- 
vention, especially  to  secure  another  Church  Building  Fund, 
as  the  "Albany  Fund"  was  exhausted;  and  they  resolved 
"that,  should  there  be  a  failure  to  carry  forward  the  plan  of 
raising  a  general  fund  of  $100,000  the  committee  of  the  Iowa 
Church  Building  Fund  be  authorized  and  instructed  to  under- 
take the  raising  of  $20,000  for  this  state." 

Iowa's  practical  interest  in  the  Kansas  struggle  is  illustrated 
in  the  following:  " Stirring  times  at  Tabor  now.  Pastor  John 
Todd  has  a  brass  cannon  in  his  haymow,  and  another  on  wheels 
in  his  wagon  shed.  He  has  also  boxes  of  clothing,  boxes  of 
ammunition,  boxes  of  muskets,  boxes  of  sabres,  and  twenty 
boxes  of  Sharp's  rifles  stowed  away  in  the  cellar."  Many 
other  houses  in  Tabor  have  in  them  like  accouterments  of  war. 
"When  houses  would  hold  no  more,"  says  Mrs.  G.  B.  Gaston, 
"wood-sheds  were  temporized  for  bedrooms,  where  the  sick 
and  the  dying  were  cared  for.  Barns  also  were  fixed  for 
sleeping  rooms.  Every  place  where  a  bed  could  be  put  or  a 
blanket  thrown  down  was  at  once  occupied.  There  were 
comers  and  goers  all  times  of  day  and  night.  After  battles, 
they  were  here  for  rest;  before,  for  preparation.  Our  cellar 
contained  barrels  of  powder  and  boxes  of  rifles,"  and  all  around 
were  "loaded  revolvers,  cartridge  boxes  and  bowie  knives,  and 
boxes  of  swords  under  the  bed."  What  was  it  all  about? 
Bleeding  Kansas  was  fighting  for  freedom,  and  Tabor  was  one 
of  the  places  of  rendezvous  for  the  volunteers  of  the  great 


UP   IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,    1855-1860     131 

struggle.  "John  Brown  of  Osawatomie"  was  a  familiar 
figure  on  the  streets  of  Tabor  in  those  days. 

Now  comes  1857,  the  year  of  the  great  financial  crash;  but  it 
was  a  year  of  great  activity  in  Iowa,  both  in  secular  enterprise 
and  in  church  extension.  So  great  had  been  the  numerical  and 
territorial  enlargemen,t  of  our  work,  that  three  new  associa- 
tions were  organized, — Garnavillo,  Mitchell,  and  Grinnell. 

The  greatest  developmemts  of  the  year  were  up  in  the  Upper 
Cedar  County,  and  within  the  bounds  of  the  Mitchell  Asso- 
ciation. Already  churches  had  been  organized  at  Bradford, 
and  Shell  Rock;  and  now  beginnings  were  being  made  at 
Stacyville,  Mitchell,  Nora  Springs,  Rockford,  Mason  City, 
Charles  City,  Hampton,  etc. 

Stacyville  was  organized  with  twenty-three  members  Jan- 
uary 18.  The  name  of  William  L.  Coleman  will  be  forever 
associated  with  this  place.  In  the  summer  of  1856  he  came 
up  from  a  nine  years'  pastorate  at  Belle vue,  to  join  a  colony 
at  Stacyville.  "Stacyville"  it  must  be  for  there  were  Stacys 
at  every  turn  and  corner.  In  describing  the  newness  of  the 
region  Brother  Coleman  says:  'Tne  vast  prairies  aromd  me 
are  for  the  most  part  lying  in  their  uncultivated  wildness. 
The  village  is  about  five  months  old.  My  dwelling  we  found 
without  a  floor.  Our  cooking  stove  answers  the  three-fold 
purpose  of  kitchen  stove,  parlor  stove  and  study  fire-place. 
Mitchell  County  has  probably  more  than  doubled  its  popula- 
tion since  April.  Our  population  in  and  around  Stacyville 
is  intelligent  and  generally  moral;  and  with  the  blessing  of 
God,  we  hope  for  a  fair  share  of  success  in  religious  and  educa- 
tional institutions." 

Stacyville  was  always  a  bright  spot  on  our  Congregational 
map. 

Brother  Coleman  was  also  the  real  founder  of  the  Mitchell 
church,  although  Rev.  S.  P.  La  Due,  did  the  preliminary  work 
leading  up  to  the  organization  and  served  the  church  as  pastor 
for  five  months.     He  then  went  over  to  Rockford  to  do  pre- 


132  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

liminary  work  there,  for  it  was  his  special  mission  to  be  a 
pioneer  of  the  pioneers.  Mitchell  then  came  under  the  pastoral 
care  of  Mr.  Coleman.  Mr.  La  Due  had  to  do  also  with  gather- 
ing material  for  the  church  at  Nora  Springs. 

Other  churches  were  organized  this  year  as  follows:  The 
McGregor  church,  Oliver  Emerson  assisting  in  the  organi- 
zation. The  first  pastor,  Rev.  Joseph  Bloomer,  beginning  in 
October  of  this  year,  fell  at  his  post,  February  21,  1858.  He 
was  a  convert  of  Doctor  Holbrook  at  Dubuque;  studied  at 
Iowa  College,  graduated  at  Amherst,  1856,  studied  awhile  at 
Andover,  and  then  came  to  McGregor.  His  time  was  short; 
but  the  results  of  his  work  were  great.  Few  churches  of  our 
fellowship  have  been  more  to  us  and  to  the  world,  than  this 
beloved  church  at  McGregor. 

This  year  the  German  church  of  Davenport  started  upon  its 
life  of  struggle,  sometimes  in  defeat  and  sometimes  in  victory 
but  always  a  light  in  a  dark  place.  Names  to  be  associated 
with  this  church  forever  are  those  of  Jacob  Graff  and  Father 
Frederick  W.  Judeisch,  the  latter  serving  for  fourteen  years. 

Almoral  Church,  Rev.  N.  H.  Gates,  pastor,  was  composed 
of  "a  small  colony  of  eastern  people  who  came  here  to  make 
homes  and  build  up  religious  institutions."  There  is  a  tra- 
dition that  the  name  Almoral  is  a  contraction  for  "All  Moral," 
a  jibe  against  the  town  by  profane  outsiders.  It  was  the  pur- 
pose of  the  colony  to  build  here  an  educational  institution. 
They  succeeded  only  in  part.  The  Illinois  Central  Railroad, 
running  "where  it  ought  not,"  left  them  one  side,  but  Almoral 
is  still  a  lovely  spot,  and  has  many  and  many  times  over 
justified  its  being. 

Grandview  church,  F.  W.  Judeisch  pastor  for  fifteen  years, 
on  May  21  began  a  long  time  service  among  the  Germans  of 
the  community,  and  at  length  made  them  over  into  an  English 
speaking  people. 

Green  Mountain,  deriving  its  name,  not  from  the  physical 
features  of  this  part  of  Iowa  but  from  the  nativity  of  some 


UP   IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,   1855-1860     133 

of  the  early  settlers,  was  one  of  the  organizations  of  the  year. 
About  a  year  earlier,  the  question  of  a  church  was  considered, 
and  what  it  should  be.  The  general  answer  was:  "Anything 
but  Congregational";  but  Congregational  it  was  foreordained 
to  be,  for  the  everlasting  good  of  the  people.  Early  pastors 
and  men  of  great  influence  in  the  community  were  Robert 
Stuart  and  Henry  L.  Chase.  Green  Mountain  is  a  spot  of 
perennial  verdure  in  Congregational  Iowa. 

How  easy  now  to  write  and  read:  "Sioux  City,  organ- 
ized by  John  Todd,  of  Tabor,  August  9,  1857."  But  Tabor 
is  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  away;  and  this  is  "the  Parson's" 
second  trip  on  horseback  through  the  mud  and  mosquitoes 
of  the  Missouri  Bottom  to  gather  into  a  church  organization 
less  than  a  dozen  people.  The  church  had  no  pastor,  and 
was  not  to  have  for  four  or  five  years,  and  there  was  no 
minister  of  the  Congregational  name  within  seventy-five 
miles.  There  was  nothing  here  but  faith  and  hope  and  cour- 
age and  great  expectations;  but  from  that  day  to  this,  the 
church  has  held  steadily  on  its  way  of  blessing  to  the  world. 

To  one  familiar  with  our  Iowa  history,  the  name  of  William 
P.  Avery,  p  graduate  of  Amherst  college  in  1839,  is  inseparably 
linked  with  Chapin  and  Hampton.  He  had  no  other  pas- 
torates in  Iowa.  Hampton  began  with  five  members.  Mr. 
Avery  served  the  church  for  fourteen  years.  For  twenty-five 
years  and  more,  he  was  totally  blind.  Chapin  and  Hampton 
will  never  lose  the  savor  of  his  gentle  and  beautiful  life. 

Plymouth  Des  Moines  blossoms  into  life,  a  vigorous  plant 
from  the  first.  It  was  large  enough,  and  strong  enough,  and 
self-sacrificing  enough  to  be  self-supporting  from  the  start. 
Almost  from  the  beginning,  take  it  all  in  all,  it  has  been  the 
leading  church  of  our  denomination  in  the  state.  Its  first 
pastor  was  Rev.  J.  T.  Cook.  We  will  hear  from  other  pastors 
later  on. 

One  of  the  significant  events  of  the  year,  was  the  resignation 
of  Julius  A,  Reed  as  Agent  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society 


134  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

to  take  the  treasurership  of  Iowa  College,  and  the  coming  of 
Jesse  Guernsey  of  Dubuque  to  take  Mr.  Reed's  place  as  the 
Home  Missionary  Agent.  As  we  said  at  the  beginning  of 
Mr.  Reed's  service,  in  1845,  so  now  we  can  say  with  emphasis: 
He  was  a  man  for  the  place;  he  did  splendid  work;  more  than 
sixty  churches  were  organized  under  his  supervision  in  the 
twelve  years  of  his  service. 

Two  other  notable  events  of  the  year  were  the  incorporation 
of  Tabor  Academy,  the  embryo  of  Tabor  College,  and  the 
coming  of  Pres.  William  M.  Brooks  to  begin  his  thirty  years  of 
service  for  Tabor  and  for  Iowa.  Most  hearty  greetings  to 
the  school  and  to  the  man,  for  both  are  worthy  Iowa  institu- 
tions for  which  we  are  profoundly  grateful. 

This  year  Ephraim  Adams  commenced  his  fruitful  pastorate 
of  fifteen  years  at  Decorah.  Years  later  he  confessed:  "It 
was  more  of  a  sacrifice  for  me  to  go  from  Davenport  to  Decorah 
than  to  come  from  Andover  to  Iowa." 

The  State  Association  had  the  staple  subjects  for  resolutions: 
The  Chicago  Theological  Seminary,  Home  Missions,  and 
slavery.  The  resolutions  respecting  the  Home  Missionary 
Society  in  its  relation  to  slavery  were  to  the  effect  that  the  action 
of  the  Society  is  satisfactory  only  that  it  is  not  satisfactory. 
The  decision  of  the  "Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  in 
the  case  of  Dred  Scott"  was  characterized  as  "a  violation  of 
the  law  of  God,  and  of  the  spirit  of  the  Constitution,  and  is 
the  civil  and  moral  assassination  of  the  African  race;  that  all 
humane  and  Christian  men  in  the  nation  are  called  upon  to 
disregard  it;  and  that  we  desire  especially  to  commend  all 
faithful  pastors  and  preachers  who  are  laboring  to  arouse  the 
people  of  the  land  to  the  enormity  and  baseness  of  that 
decision." 

Congregationalism  proves  itself  to  be  a  determining  factor 
in  political  issues.  "  After  the  passage  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska 
bill,"  says  Mr.  Reed,  "the  Free  Soil  men  of  Iowa  nominated 
a  ticket  not  expecting  its  election,  but  in  order  to  have  the 


R.  C.  HUOHKS 


JOHN  GORDON 


W,  M.  BROOKS 
GEO.  N.  ELLIS  F.  W.  LONG 

PRESIDENTS  OF  TABOR  COLLEGE 


UP   IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,    1855-1860     135 

state  canvassed  in  the  anti-slavery  interest.  At  the  same  time 
the  Whigs  nominated  James  W.  Grimes  for  the  office  of 
governor.  Mr.  Grimes  proposed  to  the  Free  Soil  party  through 
Father  Turner,  that,  if  they  would  support  him,  he  would 
canvass  the  state  upon  three  issues:  Opposition  to  the  exten- 
sion of  slavery;  the  passage  of  a  banking  law;  and  a  third 
which  I  do  not  now  recall  but  which  did  not  specially  interest 
the  Free  Soilers;  but  that  if  they  would  not  support  him  he 
would  let  the  election  go  without  effort.  A  second  Free  Soil 
convention  accepted  Mr.  Grimes'  offer,  and  withdrew  their 
candidates.  The  election  of  Governor  Grimes,  and  the 
formation  of  the  Republican  party  was  the  result.  The  point 
on  which  the  acceptance  of  Governor  Grimes'  proposition,  and 
his  election  turned,  was  the  confidence  which  the  Friends  (or 
Quakers)  reposed  in  Father  Turner."  For  once  "even  our 
good  Homer  nods."  That  third  issue  was  temperance,  a 
niatter  in  which  he  and  the  party  were  interested  almost  as 
much  as  in  the  question  of  slavery. 

Hard  times  continued  into  1858,  but  it  was  a  year  of  increase. 
Mitchell  Association  alone  reported  new  churches  at  Algona, 
Chapin,  Charles  City,  Mason  City,  New  Hampton,  Osage, 
Plymouth,  Riceville,  and  Rockford. 

After  two  years  of  hard  work  Father  Taylor  of  Algona,  had 
a  little  church  of  five  members,  only  three  outside  of  his  own 
family.  After  a  year  of  service.  Father  Avery  succeeded  in 
organizing  at  Chapin. 

As  we  have  seen,  back  in  1855,  Charles  City  was  a  part  of 
the  Bradford  field.  Superintendent  Guernsey  wrote :  "  Instead 
of  the  three  or  four  mud  cabins  of  1854,  there  is  a  town  of  1500 
or  2,000  inhabitants,  with  dwellings  neat  and  tasteful,  business 
houses,  etc.;  and,  last  but  not  least,  with  a  promising  church 
organization  under  the  care  of  a  young  and  gifted  missionary 
of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society."  This  gifted 
young  missionary  was  John  Windsor.  His  brother  William 
was  about  twenty  miles  up  the  valley  at  Mitchell.     These 


136  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

brothers  were  the  first  graduates  of  Iowa  College — in  fact 
were  the  whole  class, — and  both  were  graduates  of  Andover 
Seminary.  Father  Windsor  was  about  forty  miles  away  over 
at  New  Oregon  in  Howard  County. 

Mason  City,  organized  with  eleven  members,  March  7, 
was  the  handiwork  of  Thomas  Tenney.  "Father  Tenney" 
came  from  Massachusetts  in  1855,  and  settled  in  a  grove  which 
became  the  village  of  Plymouth.  He  organized  the  churches 
at  Plymouth  and  Shell  Rock,  and  was  pastor  of  all  the  churches 
in  the  region,  including  Mason  City,  for  several  years. 

New  Hampton  had  among  its  pioneers  the  Gurleys  and  the 
Gardners,  and  J.  H.  Powers,  not  yet  plural.  It  goes  without 
saying  that  these  people  would  organize  a  Congregational 
church,  preacher  or  no  preacher.  It  was  for  the  most  part 
"no  preacher"  for  a  good  many  years.  Rev.  J.  C.  Strong 
came  over  from  Bradford  to  assist  in  the  organization,  and  he 
gave  them  an  occasional  service,  but  the  church  was  a  "seed 
having  life  in  itself." 

Osage  began  as  an  Old  School  Presbyterian  church,  but  the 
people  of  the  community  were  not  Old  School  people,  and  the 
preachers  about — W.  L.  Coleman,  the  Windsors  on  either  side 
at  Mitchell  and  Charles  City — were  not  Old  School  preachers. 
Old  School  Presbyterianism  had  no  show  in  that  part  of  the 
country.  So  it  came  about  that  on  December  18,  of  this  year, 
the  Old  School  Church  came  out  into  the  better  way,  bringing 
their  unfinished  brick  meeting-house  with  them  and  their 
New  School  Presbyterian  preacher  too.  Straightway,  the 
church  nearly  doubled  its  membership.  For  nearly  a  decade 
this  good  man,  "Parson  Smith,"  the  Rev.  Wilham  J.  Smith, 
was  pastor  of  the  church. 

The  Riceville  church  beginning  under  the  title  the  Saratoga 
church  and  then  the  church  of  Saratoga  and  Jamestown,  was 
another  inevitable;  for  the  Seeleys  and  the  St.  Johns  were  there, 
and  Rev.  W.  L.  Coleman  was  only  about  twenty  miles  away 
and  Father  Windsor  was  about  the  same  distance  on  the  other 


UP   IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,    1855-1860     137 

side.  The  first  Sunday  after  coming  these  families  started 
a  Sunday  school,  and  they  had  religious  service  every  Sunday, 
whether  they  had  a  preacher  or  not.  The  church  was  organ- 
ized in  a  rude  shanty,  the  home  of  Deacon  St.  John — a  full 
half  decade  before  the  coming  of  their  first  resident  minister, 
Rev.  Edwin  Teel.  They  were  supplied  in  part  by  Brothers 
Coleman  and  Windsor  but  a  good  deal  of  the  time  they  had 
only  "deacons'  meetings,"  and  they  were  edified  thereby. 

We  have  already  caught  a  glimpse  of  Rev.  S.  P.  La  Due, 
doing  preliminary  work  at  Rockford.  The  church  was  organ- 
ized with  five  members.  Strong  men  and  women  gave  tone 
and  character  to  this  church  in  the  early  times. 

All  these  were  new  churches  in  the  Mitchell  Association. 
Other  parts  of  the  state  were  not  wholly  inactive.  A  church 
was  organized  at  Edgewood  January  25,  this  being  in  effect 
the  old  Yankee  Settlement  church  reorganized.  At  Polk  City, 
April  3,  a  church  of  five  members  was  organized  by  the  adop- 
tion of  the  following:  "That  we  have  perfect  confidence  in 
each  other's  Christian  character  and  regular  church  standing, 
and  that  we  deem  it  expedient  to  organize  a  Congregational 
church,  and  will  unitedly  act  in  sustaining  the  same."  Rev. 
J.  K.  Nutting  was  the  first  pastor. 

Onawa,  over  on  the  Missouri  Bottom  was  organized  by 
Father  G.  G,  Rice,  of  Council  Bluffs,  and  Mr.  Rice  continued 
for  a  season  to  shepherd  the  little  flock.  For  twenty  years 
we  wrote,  "C.  N.  Lyman  of  Onawa";  and  his  influence  still 
abides  in  all  the  region. 

Nevinville  was  organized  October  30.  Rev.  H.  Penfield 
of  Quincy,  Adams  County,  thus  wrote:  "In  addition  to  other 
points,  I  have  preached  at  Nevin,  or  what  has  been  usually 
called  the  New  England  Colony.  The  families  are  nearly  or 
quite  all  Christian  families.  They  commenced  holding  reli- 
gious meetings  soon  after  they  reached  the  ground,  and  have 
kept  them  up  to  the  present  time.  A  few  days  ago,  we  organ- 
ized a  church  of  nineteen  members,  and  embracing  all  the 


138  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

religious  elements  of  the  settlement.  Almost  every  one  of 
the  Eastern  states  is  here  represented,  and  also  Ohio  and 
Illinois;  and  we  expect  that  each  will  have  an  influence  to  draw 
friends  and  acquaintances,  and  thus  make  a  large  and  impor- 
tant settlement!" 

These  expectations  were  not  realized.  The  railroad  passed 
by  on  the  other  side,  the  Creston  side,  and  Nevin  has  given  her 
strength  to  the  upbuilding  of  other  churches  and  communities. 

The  last  organization  of  the  year  was  at  Central  City.  The 
Blodgetts  were  there  in  force,  and  other  people  just  as  good; 
and  the  church  has  always  been  "a  city  set  upon  a  hill," 
though  the  location  of  the  building  is  in  a  valley. 

Luther  R.  White  was  this  year  called  from  his  work.  His 
last  service  was  the  building  of  the  meeting-house  at  Brighton. 
He  painted  the  pulpit,  but  he  never  preached  from  it.  He  saw 
the  building  completed,  but  the  firet  service  in  it  was  in  con- 
nection with  his  burial. 

In  1859  the  hard  times  were  harder  than  ever.  Superinten- 
dent Guernsey  thus  described  the  condition:  "There  has  been 
not  a  little  real  destitution.  If  you  go  into  not  a  few  homes 
you  will  find  no  meat  on  their  tables,  no  sugar  in  their  bowls, 
no  tea  or  coffee  in  their  cups,  and  often  no  flour,  except  that 
made  of  Indian  corn,  in  their  barrels."  Salaries  of  missionaries 
were  cut  down,  and  unpaid,  and  children  went  barefooted  all 
winter. 

"It  was  distressing,"  one  writes,  "to  see  the  little  ones 
running  around  in  mid-winter  without  a  shoe  or  stocking  on 
their  feet."  But  the  Superintendent  reported  wonderful 
developments,  especially  in  Mitchell  Association,  where,  in  a 
region  unexplored  five  years  before,  there  were  now  scores  of 
towns  and  villages  and  churches.  He  made  especial  mention 
of  Osage,  four  years  previous  a  naked  prairie,  but  having  now 
a  population  of  one  thousand  or  more,  a  church  with  a  sub- 
stantial brick  building,  and  a  schoolhouse  that  would  put  to 
shame  many  of  the  smart  towns  of  New  England.     We  cannot 


UP  IN  THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,   1855-1860     139 

bat  smile  at  the  Superintendent's  enthusiasm  over  that  school- 
house,  for  it  was  really  a  very  plain  affair.  He  tells  of  the 
joint  meeting  of  the  Mitchell  and  Garnavillo  Associations  held 
at  Osage;  and  how  Deacon  St.  John  and  his  family  came  over 
from  beyond  Riceville,  a  distance  of  about  twenty-five  miles, 
with  an  ox-team  to  attend  the  meeting. 

There  were  great  developments  this  year  in  the  missionary 
fields,  but  not  many  new  churches. 

Earlville,  first  called  Nottingham,  was  organized  February 
6,  the  first  services  being  conducted  by  Rev.  H.  N.  Gates  of 
Almoral,  in  a  railroad  car.  The  two  churches  had  been  in 
very  close  association  from  the  beginning,  usually  having  the 
same  pastor. 

Exira  was  the  next  church  to  be  organized.  Rev.  0. 
Cummings  was  the  pastor.  No  pastor  ever  had  better  backing 
than  he  in  his  membership.  Deacon  Bush  was  "Deacon 
Bush"  for  twenty-three  years,  and  carried  the  name  with  him 
to  the  grave. 

The  Dunlap  church,  organized  as  "The  Congregational 
church  of  Harrison,"  May  8th,  started  out  on  its  noble  mission 
with  a  membership  of  six.  The  Kelloggs  were  there  then  as 
they  are  there  now.  H.  C.  Lyman,  the  first  deacon,  held  that 
office  for  more  than  thirty  years.  Rev.  Henry  D.  King  of 
Magnolia  organized  the  church  and  had  the  pastoral  over- 
sight of  it  for  several  months.  When  the  church  was  organ- 
ized, there  was  not  a  single  house  on  the  present  site  of  Dunlap, 
and  the  nearest  mill  and  Post  Office  were  at  Council  Bluffs. 

Fontanelle  set  out  with  eighteen  members.  Rev.  Joseph 
Mather,  pastor. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Association  this  year  "The  OberUn 
Rescuers"  were  encouraged  by  the  following  resolutions: 

Resolved,  1.  That  we  extend  to  these  brethren  and  fellow-citteens 
our  hearty  sympathy,  and  say  to  them:  Be  courageous  in  enduring  wrong 
for  the  sake  of  right.  We  beUeve  that  the  result  of  your  case  will  have  an 
important  bearing  on  the  cause  of  liberty  throughout  the  whole  country. 


140  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

2.  That  we  recognize  the  providence  of  God,  which  is  using  the  enforce- 
ment of  this  unchristian  enactment  to  increase  the  humane  and  Christian 
opposition  of  our  fellow-citizens  to  the  whole  system  of  American  slavery, 
whether  established  by  enactment  of  the  general  go'wemment,  sanctioned 
by  the  Supreme  Court,  or  enforced  by  federal  officers. 

3.  That  we  now  take  up  a  collection  in  aid  of  the  brethren  and  friends 
in  bonds  in  Ohio,  and  that  the  same  be  forwarded  to  Rev.  H.  L.  Hammond 
of  the  Congregational  Herald,  for  them. 

"A  collection  amounting  to  forty-six  dollars  was  taken  up." 

In  this  year,  the  location  of  Iowa  College  was  changed  from 
Davenport  to  Grinnell.  There  were  several  reasons  for  the 
change.  Davenport  was  no  longer  central  to  the  constituency 
of  the  college,  and  did  not  prove  to  be  the  congenial  home  for 
it  that  was  desirable.  There  was  a  growing  feeling  in  the 
interior  that  a  river  town  was  not  a  suitable  location  for  a 
college.  Moreover  J.  B.  Grinnell  was  at  Grinnell,  and  Grinnell 
was  planning  for  a  college,  and  had  one  in  sight  and  under 
way;  so  the  trustees  sold  their  property  at  Davenport,  and  had 
about  S9,000  after  debts  were  paid  to  put  with  the  $36,000  cash 
and  campus  value  donated  by  the  citizens  of  Grinnell. 

In  the  records  of  the  General  Association  for  June,  1859, 
at  Muscatine,  we  find  the  following:  "A  letter  was  read  from 
Chauncey  Taylor,  with  an  application  from  the  Northwestern 
Association,  organized  at  Webster  City,  February  19,  1859, 
to  be  connected  with  this  body.  Voted  to  grant  the  request 
with  the  recommendation  that  they  change  their  name  to  the 
Fort  Dodge  Association." 

This  they  did  not  do;  for  the  matter  had  been  fully  con- 
sidered, and  Father  Taylor  cut  the  discussion  short  by  saying: 
"There  will  never  be  anything  to  the  northwest  of  us,  but 
Indians  and  grasshoppers."  So  the  name  was  adopted  and 
continued  for  thirty-five  years.  How  inappropriate  the  name, 
a  glance  at  the  map  will  show,  for  Eldora,  and  Parkersburg, 
and  Allison  away  on  toward  Dubuque,  were  in  the  Northwest 
Association.  The  association  started  with  eight  churches  and 
three  ministers;  the  churches  being  Alden,  Algona,  Clear  Lake, 


OSAGE  CHURCH  BUILDINGS 


UP   IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,    1855-1860     141 

Ellis,  Fort  Dodge,  Iowa  Falls,  Otho,  and  Webster  City,  and 
the  ministers,  Chauncey  Taylor,  T.  N.  Skinner,  and  J.  Wilcox. 

In  April  of  this  year  the  first  and  last  steamboat  invaded  the 
bounds  of  this  Association.  The  year  marked  substantially 
the  close  of  navigation  on  the  inland  streams  of  Iowa.  Until 
now  the  dream  of  the  stream  lingered  in  the  hopes  of  the 
people.  In  the  spring  of  this  year  the  business  men  of  Fort 
Dodge  organized  a  stock  company  to  build  a  boat  for  the 
Upper  Des  Moines.  The  stock  found  eager  purchasers,  and  a 
stern-wheel  vessel  of  fifty  tons  capacity,  named  the  Charles 
Rogers,  was  built  for  this  service.  One  dark  night  in  April, 
Captain  Blackshire  came  steaming  up  the  river  and  blew  a 
blast  so  long  and  loud  that  the  citizens  imagined  a  whole  fleet 
had  come  to  pay  a  visit  to  Fort  Dodge,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the 
banks  of  the  river  were  lined  with  men,  women  and  children 
who  were  jubilant  over  the  fact,  that  now  at  length  the  city 
was  brought  into  close  contact  with  the  rest  of  the  world 
through  this  great  highway  of  travel  and  commerce.  Alas, 
this  glorious  vision  was  too  bright  to  last !  The  vessel  made  a 
half  dozen  trips  to  Des  Moines  and  Keokuk,  bringing  up  immi- 
grants, groceries  and  provisions,  and  returning  with  potatoes, 
grain,  and  excursion  parties  at  half  rates;  but  the  low  water 
put  a  stop  to  the  business,  and  the  boat  was  sold.  Not  until 
a  decade  later  was  the  whistle  heard  again,  and  that  not  down 
in  the  timber,  but  out  on  the  prairie,  east  of  the  town,  heralding 
the  approach  of  the  railroad  train. 

The  record  for  1860  begins:  "Unprecedented  propserity! 
Our  prairies  never  groaned  beneath  such  a  burden  of  wealth." 
Just  the  time  for  dedications.  McGregor  dedicated,  and 
Stacyville  and  Osage.  The  Osage  unfinished  building  inher- 
ited from  the  Old  School  church  was  completed  by  the  sale  of 
pews,  thereby  leaving  an  inheritance  of  trouble  to  the  gener- 
ations following.  At  the  Stacyville  dedication,  the  audience 
was  electrified  by  the  announcement  that  a  friend  in  the  East 
had  sent  them  $30.00;  and  again  there  was  a  great  sensation  as 


142  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Brother  Coleman  read  a  communication  from  the  Congrega- 
tional Union  which  said,  "It  may  be  interesting  to  your  people 
to  know  that  the  money,  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  that 
we  send  you,  is  the  contribution  of  Deacon  P.  Haven,  of  New 
London,  Connecticut."  The  thirty  dollars  came  from  the  same 
man.  How  did  he  become  interested  in  Stacyville?  Simply 
by  noting  the  fact  that  this  little  church  the  year  before  had 
given  thirty  dollars  to  missions,  and  he  concluded  that  it  was 
made  of  the  right  sort  of  stuff,  and  was  worthy  of  encourage- 
ment. 

The  new  churches  this  year  were  Prairie  City,  Cedar  Falls 
and  Monticello.  Probably  the  Cedar  Falls  church  was  the 
most  excessively  Congregational  church  ever  organized  in 
Iowa,  for  it  was  a  reaction  from  Presbyterianism,  and  L.  B. 
Fifield  was  pastor. 

Up  to  this  year  of  grace,  notwithstanding  all  the  unexpected 
developments,  some  of  the  people,  and  leaders  of  the  people, 
were  still  unbelieving  as  to  the  future  of  Iowa.  An  exploring 
missionary  thus  characterized  the  country:  "All  of  the  Missouri 
slope  is  destitute  of  timber.  It  never  can  be  settled,  except 
in  small  localities,  till  timber  is  rai&ed.  There  are  groves  of 
timber,  around  which  settlements  are  being  made,  and  from 
these  other  settlements  will  work  out ;  but  the  process  must  be 
slow,  unless  railroads  come  to  their  help.  Land,  in  a  large 
portion  of  western  Iowa,  is  worth  just  about  as  much,  for  all 
present  use,  as  it  is  in  the  Atlantic  ocean.  It  is  good  for 
nothing;  and  will  be  good  for  nothing  only  as  the  slow  growth 
of  timber  shall  give  it  value,  or  railroads  shall  bring  in  fencing 
and  building  materials."  Why  was  not  the  reader  there  to 
preempt  a  few  quarter  sections  of  that  worthless  land  to 
enrich  himself  and  endow  Iowa  College  and  Tabor  College,  and 
the  American  Home  Missionary  Society!  And  why  cannot 
some  of  the  men  who  have  possession  of  that  same  worthless 
land  use  a  portion  of  their  wealth  according  to  this  wise 
suggestion ! 


UP   IN   THE   NORTH   COUNTRY,    1855-1860     143 

This  same  far-sighted  prophet  gave  this  further  instruction 
and  advice  to  the  officers  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society: 
"The  central  portion  of  the  state,  the  counties  lying  on  the 
Des  Moines,  and  the  southern  tier  of  counties,  and,  with  some 
quahfications,  all  that  section  which  lies  north  and  east  of  the 
Des  Moines  river,  is  capable  of  being  settled.  According  to 
these  views,  your  great  work  as  a  Home  Missionary  Society, 
this  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  must  be,  in  cultivating  the 
ground  you  have  already  gone  over.  The  wave  of  emigration 
has  spread  out  as  far  as  it  can.  It  must  now  turn  to  the  work 
of  filling  up  the  ground  already  gone  over.  It  is  utterly  im- 
possible that  our  population  should  spread  over  as  much 
territory  in  the  Northwest,  during  the  twenty-five  years  to 
come,  as  in  the  twenty-five  years  past.  There  is  no  place  for 
them!"  Listen  to  this,  Northwestern  Iowa,  and  the  Dakotas 
and  Wyoming  and  Montana!  You  have  no  business  even  now 
to  be  anything  else  than  a  howling  wilderness,  for  the  word  of 
the  prophets  must  be  fulfilled! 

The  following  item  in  a  report  to  the  Home  Missionary 
Society,  of  a  Presbyterian  missionary  in  Iowa  suggests  a 
chronic  grievance  which  this  year  becomes  acute.  The  mis- 
sionary said:  "I  have  lately  read  a  letter  and  circular  from 
Rev.  Mr.  Norton,  agent  for  the  Church  Extension  Committee 
in  the  West,  desiring  me  to  take  up  a  collection  for  that  cause, 
and  stating  that  he  does  not  think  the  American  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society's  holding  the  rod  over  us  in  terrorem  need  deter 
us  from  going  forward  in  said  work." 

To  make  plain  the  meaning  of  this,  a  bit  of  history  is 
required.  When  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society  was 
organized,  in  1826,  Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians 
united  in  supporting  the  organization,  and  both  denominations 
received  aid  from  it  in  the  planting  and  fostering  of  their 
churches.  All  went  well  for  a  time,  but  before  long  denomi- 
national zeal  took  the  place  of  Christian  charity,  and  even  the 
rule  of  Christian  comity  could  not  be  maintained.     The  Pres- 


144  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

byterians  at  length  proclaimed  in  a  meeting  of  the  General 
Assembly  that  henceforth  it  would  be  their  policy  to  push  for 
the  organization  of  Presbyterian  churches  in  "advance  of  all 
others."  Our  people  contended  that  in  every  new  community 
where  a  church  was  to  be  organized,  a  majority  vote  should 
decide  whether  the  church  should  be  Presbyterian  or  Congre- 
gational. Our  state  Association  took  the  matter  up  in  1855, 
and  resolved,  "That  the  new  measure  of  the  General  Assembly 
is  inconsistent  with  cooperation  in  Home  Missionary  work, 
and,  if  persisted  in,  must  speedily  result  in  disruption."  Again 
in  1857,  our  brethren  said:  "Whereas,  the  church  extension 
scheme  of  the  Presbyterians  is  entirely  inconsistent  with  the 
cooperation  of  the  two  denominations  that  sustain  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  Resolved,  that  if  this 
system  be  continued,  we  recommend  the  caUing  of  a  conven- 
tion with  reference  to  an  amicable  separation  of  the  Presby- 
terian and  Congregational  churches  in  the  Home  Missionary 
work." 

And  now,  in  1860,  in  a  series  of  resolutions,  eight  in  number, 
the  Association  reviewed  the  case,  protesting  that  the  Presby- 
terians by  their  scheme  and  practice  of  church  extension  were 
violating  the  principles  of  cooperation,  and  advising  the 
Society  hereafter  to  limit  its  appropriations  to  the  Presby- 
terians to  their  contributions  to  its  treasury.  Now  this  was 
"the  most  unkindest  cut  of  all,"  for,  for  years,  the  Presbyterian 
appropriations  had  been  far  in  excess  of  its  contributions,  and 
those  contributions  had  been  growing  less  from  year  to  year. 
Evidently  a  crisis  was  at  hand.  Separation  seemed  inevitable. 
The  next  year  the  Presbyterians  withdrew  from  the  American 
Home  Missionary  Society,  leaving  to  us  alone  the  great  name 
and  the  great  work  of  this  great  national  Society. 


Chapter  VIII 
IN  THE  WAR  TIME,   1861-1865 

In  1861  "the  irrepressible  conflict"  reached  a  crisis.  For 
a  long  time  it  had  been  going  on  in  state  and  national  legisla- 
tion, and  in  angry  and  bloody  debates  both  North  and  South. 
December  20,  1860,  South  Carolina  seceded.  January  9, 
1861,  "The  Star  of  the  West"  was  fired  upon  in  Charleston 
harbor.  February  8,  Jefferson  Davis  was  elected  President 
of  the  Confederacy.  March  4,  Abraham  Lincoln  was  inaug- 
urated President  of  the  United  States.  War  was  inevitable.* 
April  12,  Fort  Sumter  was  bombarded.  April  18,  the  United 
States  arsenal  at  Harper's  Ferry  was  destroyed  by  the  Fed- 
erals. June  3,  the  battle  of  Philippi;  June  10,  the  battle  of 
Big  Bethel;  July  20,  the  Confederate  capital  was  established 
at  Richmond.     The  War  had  actually  begun. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  Congregational  Iowa  was  pro- 
foundly affected  by  these  events.  New  England  feared  that 
the  Upper  Mississippi  might  join  the  Confederacy,  that  in 
that  way  the  great  river  might  flow  "unvexed  to  the  sea." 
Father  Turner  speaking  for  Iowa,  said,  "I  have  no  more  fear 
of  our  state  joining  the  rebel  South,  than  I  have  of  Gabriel's 
joining  Satan."  At  the  meeting  of  the  General  Association 
the  brethren  spoke  with  no  uncertain  voice.  By  unanimous 
vote  they  said:  "Resolved,  that  in  this  struggle  to  put  down 
rebellion,  we  pledge  the  government  our  sympathy,  our  efforts 
and  our  prayers,  feehng  that  the  good  of  our  land,  and  the 
good  of  the  world  requires  that  our  government  should  sus- 
tain itself  at  whatever  sacrifice  of  treasure  and  blood." 

They  also  characterized  the  conflict  as  a  struggle  between 
u  145 


146  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA      • 

"liberty  and  despotism,  freedom  and  slavery,  right  and  wrong, 
God  and  Satan."  And  they  expressed  the  confidence  that 
the  "God  of  battles"  would  bring  the  conflict  to  such  an  issue 
as  "to  glorify  himself,  and  purify  the  nation  from  the  curse 
of  slavery."  The  Minutes  of  the  year  record  that  "during 
the  evening  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  was  sung  with  great 
zest,  the  whole  congregation  joining  in  the  chorus.  The  choir 
also  sang  The  Flag  of  our  Country,  and  other  pieces." 

J.  K.  Nutting,  from  his  little  parish  at  Bradford  thus  wrote 
to  the  Home  Missionary  Society:  "Almost  while  I  write,  I 
hear  the  roll  of  the  drum  calling  men  to  defend  the  precious 
legacy  of  our  fathers.  I  have  felt  it  my  duty  to  hand  in  my 
name,  among  the  rest,  as  ready  for  the  contest.  We  are  all 
prepared  to  die  for  our  land,  and  the  sacred  right  God  has 
given  us.  I  cannot  help  feeling  that  the  battle  of  our  country 
'will  be  decided  by  them  that  kneel  rather  than  those  that 
march,  though  both  are  necessary;  and  I  am  sure  that  many 
of  Cromwell's  men  will  be  found  in  the  army!"  In  a  post- 
script, he  says :  "  I  suppose  the  war  will  embarrass  you.  Never 
was  a  time  when  we  more  needed  your  prompt  help,  but  we 
will  dig,  if  you  cannot  help  us.  Credit  me  two  dollars,  and 
send  the  balance." 

S.  P.  La  Due,  of  Rockford  followed  in  the  same  vein: 
"Probably  nine-tenths  of  all  the  able-bodied  men  through 
this  entire  region,  including  youths  and  white-headed  flien, 
meet  weekly  for  drill,  and  hold  themselves  ready  to  respond 
to  any  call  of  the  government." 

Brother  Reed  Wilkinson  of  Fairfield  gave  this  information: 
"  Over  a  hundred  of  our  young  men  have  gone  to  join  the  army, 
in  response  to  the  President's  call.  Although  we  have  a  large 
majority  here  in  favor  of  the  Union,  still  there  is  in  the  county 
a  large  number  of  individuals  who  sympathize  deeply  with 
the  rebels."  Later  he  reports:  "The  pecuniary  strength  of 
the  church  has  been  considerably  reduced  within  a  few  months 
by  the  withdrawal  of  two  or  three  hitherto  prominent  members 


IN   THE  WAR   TIME,    1861-1865  147 

on  account  of  their  pro-slavery  and  Southern  sympathies." 
This  was  one  of  the  bitterest  ingredients  in  our  cup  of  woe. 
It  was  a  civil  war,  a  fratricidal  contest;  households  were 
divided;  brother  met  brother  on  many  a  fatal  field.  The 
Lord  hide  our  faces  from  another  scene  like  this! 

Another,  his  name  withheld,  wrote:  "This  report  belongs 
more  properly  to  the  war  department  than  to  the  Missionary 
rooms.  Last  Sabbath,  after  gathering  in  the  grove  for  religious 
worship,  we  were  called  upon  to  dismiss  our  meeting,  and  make 
all  possible  speed  to  the  Une  to  prevent  a  threatened  invasion 
of  the  enemy.  Before  Monday  morning,  almost  all  the  able- 
bodied  men  in  three  counties  were  along  the  line  or  in  Missouri. 
The  enemy  had  been  routed,  but  these  almost  weekly  calls 
to  the  borders  are  having  a  deleterious  effect  upon  the  interests 
of  religion." 

Evidently  the  same  pen  later  gave  this  vivid  picture :  "We 
are  on  war  ground,  and  in  the  midst  of  contentions.  Alarm 
bells,  and  alarm  drums,  roaring  cannon  and  glistening  bayonets, 
men  preparing  to  march,  and  women  preparing  provisions  for 
them!  Here  all  are  enrolled  on  the  Ust  of  the  Home  Guards 
either  as  effective  or  reserved  forces,  and  all  that  can  carry  arms, 
from  the  young  man  of  sixteen  to  the  old  man  of  seventy,  are 
drilled  to  the  use  of  the  weapons  of  death.  The  effective  force 
has  been  called  on  twice  to  repel  invasion,  and  once  marched 
as  far  as  Memphis,  Missouri,  and  at  present,  there  are  over 
one  hundred  men,  from  this  vicinity,  in  Knox  Co.,  Missouri, 
keeping  in  check  the  rebels.  Last  Sabbath  morning,  at  three 
o'clock,  we  were  aroused  from  our  beds  by  the  alarms.  We 
had  but  a  small  Sabbath  school  that  morning,  for  the  women 
were  preparing  food,  and  the  men  ammunition.  At  one- 
thirty,  p.  m.,  we  were  ready  for  the  march,  and  started,  expect- 
ing to  be  attacked  before  Monday  morning;  but  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  we  were  disappointed,  and  the  main  body  of  the 
expedition  are  now  at  home.  Last  week,  we  had  a  pretty  severe 
battle  down  the  river  about  eighteen  miles.     We  live  in  jeop- 


148  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

ardy  every  hour,  and  we  need  your  prayers,  and  the  prayers 
of  all  good  people." 

Later  in  the  year  Mr.  Nutting  thus  described  the  situation: 
"The  flower  of  our  youth  are  now  in  the  army;  and  so  hearty 
has  been  the  response  to  the  call  of  our  country,  that  there  are 
not  left  men  enough,  even  with  the  help  of  the  ubiquitous 
reapers,  properly  to  harvest  the  grain.  There  are  sensible 
gaps  in  our  congregation.  The  prayer  meeting  lacks  some  of 
its  ornaments,  and  the  church  misses  some  of  its  members. 
We  had  again  begun  to  stir  in  the  matter  of  a  church  building, 
but,  with  great  reluctance,  we  shall  have  to  defer  once  more." 

Brother  O.  French,  of  Knoxville,  wrote:  "In  addition  to 
former  trials,  and  discouragements  connected  with  this  field, 
we  are  now  feeling,  in  common  with  other  sections  of  the 
country,  the  sad  effects  of  the  civil  war  which  is  sweeping  like 
a  tornado  through  this  fair  land.  Some  four  hundred  volun- 
teers, including  a  company  of  Home  Guards,  which  is  now  in 
active  service  in  Missouri,  have  gone  to  the  war  from  this 
county  which  has  a  population  of  only  about  sixteen  thousand 
with  three  thousand  voters." 

These  are  samples  of  communications  from  our  Iowa  fields, 
telling  of  the  mustering  of  troops,  the  marching  of  men  to  the 
seat  of  war,  the  sad  farewells,  the  depletions  of  families, 
churches  and  communities,  and  the  thousand  incidents  con- 
nected with  the  first  year  of  the  war.  Of  course,  church  exten- 
sion was  at  a  standstill.  Only  Civil  Bend,  which  was  really 
a  reorganisation,  and  Davenport  Edwards,  another  reorgani- 
zation, and  Ulster,  a  branch  of  the  Rockford  Church,  were 
reported  as  the  new  organizations  of  the  year. 

The  first  Congregational  Church  of  Davenport  was  organ- 
ized in  1839.  Rev.  G.  F.  Magoun  was  the  last  pastor  of  this 
first  church.  He  began  in  1855.  Under  his  ministry,  there 
were  repeated  revivals  and  large  accessions  to  the  member- 
ship which  ran  up  to  two  hundred  and  fifty.  The  church  lot 
was  increased  in  size,  and  plans  adopted  for  a  large  edifice. 


IN   THE  WAR  TIME,    1861-1865  149 

In  1859  came  the  financial  crash,  and  the  church  was  pros- 
trated. The  load  was  so  heavy  that  the  people  gave  it  up  in 
despair,  and  in  1860,  the  church  virtually  disbanded,  after  a 
prosperous  existence  of  twenty-one  years.  "For  almost  a 
year,  the  church  was  closed,  mute  witness  of  hard  times, 
financially  and  spiritually."  How  complete  the  collapse  of 
the  church  was  is  seen  in  the  following  record:  "Rev.  William 
Windsor,  sent  out  by  the  Home  Missionary  Society,  organized 
the  Edwards  Church  with  twenty-six  members,  August  17, 
1861."  Only  twenty-six  out  of  a  membership  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty!  Mr.  Windsor  was  familiar  with  Davenport.  He 
had  graduated  there  from  Iowa  College  in  1854.  In  the  five 
years  of  his  pastorate,  he  gathered  in  over  one  hundred, 
brought  the  church  to  self-support,  and  raised  the  salary  from 
four  hundred  dollars  to  one  thousand  dollars. 

The  war  brought  special  hardship  to  our  missionaries  and 
pastors.  Superintendent  Guernsey  wrote:  "There  is  bread 
enough  and  to  spare.  None  of  our  brethren  are  suffering  for  lack 
of  such  things  as  our  soil  has  so  abundantly  produced.  But 
many  of  them  are  without  a  dollar  with  which  to  provide 
other  necessaries  for  the  table;  and  the  winter's  cold  has 
found  not  a  few,  together  with  their  wives  and  little  ones, 
unprovided  with  winter  clothing.  An  excellent  brother  who 
has  grown  old  in  the  missionary  service,  wrote  me  a  few  weeks 
ago,  to  say  that  he  had  only  his  summer  clothing  to  wear,  and 
asking  if  I  had  at  my  disposal  any  clothing  with  which  to 
supply  his  need.  There  was  no  word  of  complaint,  no  breath 
of  conscious  hardship.  He  concluded  by  saying,  '  If  you  have 
nothing,  let  this  be  as  though  it  had  not  been  written.'" 

The  wife  of  a  missionary  thus  sets  forth  her  husband's 
need:  "When  you  were  with  us,  you  mentioned  that  sometimes 
articles  of  clothing  were  left  with  you  for  disposal  among  the 
families  of  home  missionaries.  We  have  been  hoping  for  some 
time  to  receive  a  draft  from  the  Society,  but  the  state  of  the 
treasury  is  such  that  it  may  be  delayed  much  longer,  and  as 


150  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Mr.  M.  is  really  suffering  for  winter  clothing,  it  has 
occurred  to  me  that  you  might  possibly  have  on  hand  some 
articles  which  you  would  send  him.  He  is  reduced  to  his  last 
pair  of  pants,  which  are  very  thin,  and  already  patched  in 
several  places.  He  is  obliged  to  wear  his  delaine  study  gown 
to  do  all  his  outdoor  work  and  errands  about  town,  for  his  old 
working  coat  has  been  mended  till  but  little  of  the  original 
is  to  be  seen,  and  lately  it  has  quite  given  out.  He  has  but 
one  vest,  and  that  a  second  hand  one,  much  worn."  These 
are  samples  of  communications  to  the  superintendent  in  those 
days;  and  indeed  superintendents  of  later  days  were  not  at 
all  strangers  to  like  appeals. 

If  the  reader  had  known  Father  Hurlbut,  as  the  writer 
knew  him,  his  eyes  would  fill  with  tears  as  mine  do  now,  as  I 
copy  what  he  wrote  to  the  Home  Missionary  secretaries  in 
the  fall  of  1861:  "Since  my  commission  expired,  I  have  had 
very  little  income.  The  old  stock  at  hand  was  not  large,  and 
the  barrel  for  a  long  time  has  seemed  to  be  empty ;  and  yet  my 
wife  has  been  able,  every  day,  to  scrape  up  a  little  to  make 
another  cake.  So  we  have  lived  for  months  past,  but  how, 
I  can  hardly  tell.  If  I  were  worthy,  as  the  widow  of  old,  I 
should  think  it  was  lasting,  as  her  cruse  of  oil  did,  by  divine 
special  care!"  Then  he  speaks  of  the  benefaction  of  home 
missions  as  "good  news  from  a  far  country,  cold  water  to  a 
thirsty  soul,  strength  to  the  weary,  hope  to  the  faint,  health 
to  the  sick;  what  a  solace  and  comfort  in  our  straitened 
circumstances!"  A  noble,  gifted,  gracious,  guileless  man, 
this  Rev.  Joseph  Hurlbut  of  Fort  Atkinson.  The  burying- 
ground  of  the  little  village  is  hallowed  by  his  ashes. 

The  work  of  the  churches  this  year  was  greatly  interrupted 
but  not  wholly  suspended.  Some  of  the  enterprises  begun 
before  the  shot  at  Sumter  were  finished  after  that  event. 
Brother  Adams  dedicated  a  fine  building  at  Decorah,  and 
Father  Windsor  a  more  humble  structure  at  New  Oregon. 
Superintendent  Guernsey   reported    the    dedications:    "Sat- 


IN   THE   WAR  TIME,    1861-1865  151 

urday  evening  the  ladies  are  at  the  church,  with  a  few  of 
the  men,  putting  on  the  one  hundred  and  one  last  finishing 
touches.  Father  Hurlbut  of  Fort  Atkinson  is  there,  and 
Father  Windsor  of  New  Oregon,  and  Brother  Coleman  of 
Stacy ville,  to  rejoice  with  Brother  Adams  and  assist  in  the 
dedicatory  services."  Sunday  morning,  at  the  appointed 
hour,  "the  people  gather  with  glowing  faces  and  elastic  steps " 
to  the  new  sanctuary  until  it  is  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity. 
Mr.  Guernsey  preached  the  sermon,  and  Father  Windsor 
offered  the  prayer  of  dedication.  Then  Brother  Adams  made 
the  financial  statement,  showing  that  the  building  cost  $4, 127.87 
and  all  bills  paid,  or  provided  for,  lacking  only  $150.  Five 
dollar  subscriptions  and  a  collection  reached  a  little  beyond 
that  amount,  and  the  great  task  was  accomplished.  A  start 
on  the  building  enterprise  was  made  in  the  fall  of  1858.  The 
basement  was  completed  in  the  fall  of  1859.  Work  on  the 
superstructure  began  in  May  of  1860,  and  now  in  the  middle 
of  November,  1861,  the  work  was  finished. 

The  New  Oregon  dedication  was  only  a  week  later.  The 
finishing  touches  on  Saturday  must  include  the  construction 
and  setting  up  of  the  pews,  the  cleaning  of  the  room,  etc., 
etc.  The  windows  were  covered  with  mortar,  putty  and  paint. 
"Let  them  alone  until  the  warm  weather,"  said  the  men,  but 
the  women  said,  "No,  we  don't  want  to  dedicate  the  dirt." 
The  Sabbath  was  cold,  and  the  air  was  filled  with  the  flying 
flakes  of  the  first  snow  of  the  season.  But  this  was  the  first 
sanctuary  to  be  dedicated  in  Howard  County,  as  the  church 
was  the  first  organization.  The  people  came  from  all  direc- 
tions and  long  distances,  and  the  house  was  full.  The  super- 
intendent preached  the  sermon.  Father  Windsor  told  the 
story  of  the  beginnings  of  the  church,  five  years  before,  when 
there  were  only  four  or  five  cabins  in  the  place,  and  of  the 
building  enterprise  begun  in  the  spring  of  1860.  Money  sub- 
scriptions were  out  of  the  question.  Trees  were  donated;  a 
"Bee  party"  had  a  frolicsome  time,  encouraged  by  the  presence 


152  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

and  provisions  of  the  ladies,  in  the  felUng  of  the  trees;  then 
followed  a  "bee"  to  prepare  the  logs  for  the  mill;  another 
"bee"  to  haul  the  lumber  to  the  church;  another  with  pick 
and  spade  to  quarry  the  stone  from  the  hillside;  another  to 
haul  the  stone;  another,  with  the  help  of  a  mason,  to  put  in 
the  foundation;  another  to  raise  the  frame.  An  old  friend 
of  the  pastor  at  Dubuque  donated  the  doors  and  sash ;  friends 
in  Portland,  Maine,  gave  the  shingles;  Doctor  Gulliver's 
church  of  Norwich,  Connecticut,  sent  out  thirteen  dollars. 
Deacon  Haven  of  New  London,  thirty  dollars,  and  the  Con- 
gregational Union,  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

The  cost  of  the  building  was  about  one  thousand  dollars. 
The  shortage  at  the  dedication  was  about  one  hundred  and 
forty-five  dollars,  one  half  of  which  was  raised  at  the  service, 
the  balance  being  assumed  by  the  pastor  and  the  officers  of 
the  church.  Brother  Adams  of  Decorah  offered  the  dedica- 
tory prayer,  and  this  first  building  of  the  Vernon  Springs- 
New  Oregon-Cresco  church  was  completed.  How  familiar 
this  dedicatory  service,  but  each  occasion  of  the  sort  brings 
fresh  enthusiasm,  and  the  story  of  them  never  loses  its  enchant- 
ment. 

Before  the  first  year  ends,  the  bravery  of  Iowa  troops  had 
been  tested  at  "Bloody  Belmont"  and  other  fields  of  battle. 
February  16,  1862,  Fort  Donelson  surrenders  to  Grant. 
April  6  and  7,  Grant  is  victorious,  but  at  fearful  cost,  at 
Pittsburg  Landing;  June  26,  to  July  1  the  "seven  days'  battles 
in  Virginia";  September  17,  the  awful  carnage  at  Antietam; 
so  run  the  dates  of  the  second  year  of  this  gigantic  conflict. 
The  records  of  Congregational  Iowa  were  records  of  congre- 
gations depleted,  churches  suspended  or  broken  up,  women 
at  work  in  the  field  because  the  men  were  in  the  army;  Iowa 
soldiers  wounded  or  killed,  the  bodies  of  a  few  of  these  being 
brought  home  for  burial. 

Rev.  G.  H.  Woodward  of  Toledo  writing  of  this  time  said: 
"This  new  county,  which  eleven  years  ago  had  but  eight 


IN   THE   WAR  TIME,    1861-1865  153 

inhabitants,  has  sent  out  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  her 
sons  to  the  battlefield." 

Brother  Hemenway  of  Salem  also  wrote:  "Many  of  our 
members  are  now  in  the  armies  of  our  country.  We  have 
good  representations  in  the  First  Iowa  Cavalry;  the  Seventh 
Infantry  which  suffered  so  severely  at  Belmont,  Missouri, 
and  a  full  company  of  the  finest  drilled  soldiers  in  the  Four- 
teenth Infantry.  In  this  company,  there  are  between  twenty 
and  thirty  young  men  connected  with  the  Salem  Sunday  school 
and  congregation.  We  invited  the  whole  company  to  attend 
our  Sunday  school  concert.  After  the  exercises  closed  they 
formed  in  front  of  the  house,  and  gave  three  cheers  for  the 
people  who  worship  there;  and  then  three  cheers  for  the 
children  of  the  Sunday  school.  On  the  morning  of  their 
departure,  they  again  formed  in  front  of  the  church  to  receive 
some  tokens  from  the  school,  and  take  a  farewell  blessing 
from  them  and  their  friends."  This  was  at  Salem,  settled 
by  Quakers,  from  South  Carolina;  four-fifths  of  the  popula- 
tion at  this  time  being  Quakers,  and  the  Sunday  school  made 
up  largely  of  the  children  of  Quaker  families!  "It  was  diffi- 
cult for  these  people  to  keep  their  anti-slavery  and  their  anti- 
war principles  in  practical  harmony." 

This  also  from  Brother  A.  J.  Drake  of  Mount  Pleasant: 
"In  such  a  time  as  this,  what  can  we  report?  All  around  is 
nothing  but  the  preparation  for  war,  and  the  excitement  and 
confusion  of  a  camp.  We  are  so  near  the  scene  of  active  hos- 
tilities, that  it  seems  as  if  we  could  almost  hear  the  thunder 
of  the  cannon,  and  look  with  our  own  eyes  upon  '  the  garments 
rolled  in  blood.'" 

A  pastor  says:  "Our  boys  were  decimated  at  Belmont." 
And  another  speaks  of  one  of  his  members  as  "a  prisoner  in 
the  South  since  'Bloody  Belmont.'"  A  missionary  in  North- 
eastern Iowa  writes:  "Some  thought  it  strange  that  I  should 
give  my  consent  for  my  son  to  go,  but  I  told  them  that  I 
would  be  ashamed  of  him,  if  he  did  not  go.     Still,  it  was  one 


154  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

of  the  severest  trials  of  my  life  to  part  with  him."  Another 
says:  "Our  last  young  man  in  the  church  leaves  us  today." 

Mr.  Spaulding  of  Ottumwa  wrote:  "Every  few  days,  the 
corpse  of  a  soldier  is  followed  to  the  grave,  or  is  brought  to 
the  depot  to  be  carried  elsewhere  for  burial.  Some  are 
brought  back  sick  or  wounded,  and  some  who  went  from  us, 
are  wounded  abroad,  and  some  have  fallen  in  battle.  In 
going  to  aid  in  the  installation  of  a  brother  in  the  ministry, 
the  delegation  from  this  church  had  occasion  to  pass  a  point 
where,  a  little  time  before,  about  two  thousand  men  had  been 
engaged  in  deadly  conflict,  and  the  railroad  tracks  had  been 
damaged  by  the  effects  of  the  artillery." 

Here  is  a  communication  which  brings  it  all  back!  "One 
of  our  young  men  who  went  to  the  war  has  died  of  the  measles 
in  the  hospital  of  St.  Louis.  One  of  his  comrades  from  here 
went  to  see  him,  and  found  him  dead,  his  couch  and  clothes 
completely  drenched,  and  those  who  had  the  care  of  him 
asleep!"  Haven't  I  seen  every  item  of  this  with  my  own 
eyes,  and  don't  I  know  the  ravages  of  the  measles  in  the 
army?  This  poor  missionary  from  northern  Iowa  goes  on  to 
tell  that  his  son  is  sick  with  the  measles  and  that  four  of  his 
comrades  have  just  been  swept  away  by  this  scourge.  Later 
this  boy,  too,  was  dead,  and  it  is  all  just  awful!  "War  is 
hell!"  howbeit,  there  may  be  something  worse  than  war. 
So  thought  the  soldiers  of  the  North;  so  thought  the  soldiers 
of  the  South;  so  thought  a  million  freemen  who  would  set 
the  bondmen  free,  and  giving  themselves  in  sacrifice  they  sang : 

"As  he  died  to  make  men  holy, 

Let  us  die  to  make  men  free, 
For  God  is  marching  on." 

Brother  Manson  of  Marion  describes  the  anxiety  following 
a  battle:  "For  three  weeks  after  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  the 
anxiety  was  intense  to  get  the  list  of  killed  and  wounded. 
One  funeral  sermon  I  have  preached,  another  I  expect  to 
preach  as  soon  as  the  friends  can  meet  together.     The  Ninth 


IN   THE   WAR   TIME,    1861-1865  155 

Iowa  Regiment  stood  in  the  center  of  the  battle,  and  more 
than  one-third  were  either  killed  or  wounded.  The  price  of 
liberty  is  dear." 

A  missionary  in  Southern  Iowa  was  severely  criticised  by 
some  of  his  people  "for  praying  for  our  country  and  volun- 
teers." They  said,  "We  never  heard  the  President  prayed 
for  until  you  elected  Lincoln."  They  say,  "  that  we  are  waging 
an  unjust  war  on  the  South,  and  that  preachers  originated  the 
war,  and  that  the  preachers  have  much  to  answer  for,  for  they 
have  caused  all  these  wholesale  murders."  "Our  community," 
he  said,  "suffered  severe  losses  at  the  storming  of  Fort  Donel- 
son.  Some  of  our  best  young  men  are  taken  away.  From 
this  neighborhood,  we  had  eight  killed  and  eighteen  wounded. 
The  ladies  were  busy  for  days  scraping  lint  and  making  things 
for  the  comfort  of  the  wounded."  So  it  all  comes  back,  the 
horrors,  the  antagonisms,  the  heroism,  the  sacrifice,  the  devo- 
tion, the  pathos,  of  that  awful,  magnificent  struggle! 

Another  missionary  in  Southern  Iowa  tells  of  the  danger 
incurred  in  his  work:  "One  appointment  I  have  been  obliged 
to  give  up  in  consequence  of  the  danger  attending  it.  The 
danger  became  so  apparent  at  one  time  that  the  friends  of 
free  speech  came  in  from  places  miles  distant  to  protect  me. 
When  I  arrived  at  the  schoolhouse,  I  found  enemies  armed  to 
prevent  my  speaking;  but  the  Union  element  prevailed,  and 
I  preached,  but  have  not  visited  the  schoolhouse  since.  The 
leading  man  among  this  class  is  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
preacher.  He  was  in  this  place  a  few  days  ago,  and  in  our 
house  of  worship,  debating  the  question  of  the  divine  origin 
of  slavery;  and  when  his  sympathizers  left  the  place,  they 
went  hurrahing  for  Jeff  Davis." 

The  record  of  opposition  and  disloyalty  continues.  Another 
missionary  from  Southern  Iowa  reported:  "After  the  reverses 
at  Richmond,  the  secessionists  among  us  were  greatly  em- 
boldened and  became  quite  troublesome.  And  our  people 
were  in  a  constant  state  of  excitement.     At  a  small  place  five 


156  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

miles  distant  a  recruiting  officer  was  set  upon,  threatened 
with  hanging,  and  driven  from  the  place.  Three  of  the 
wretches  engaged  in  the  assault  have  been  arrested.  As  a 
consequence  their  fellow  traitors  were  greatly  enraged,  and 
made  all  sorts  of  threats.  We  are  under  the  necessity  of  patrol- 
ling our  streets  at  night,  and  keeping  a  sharp  lookout.  The 
people  are  in  a  feverish  state  of  excitement."  The  Eddyville 
Star  had  this  item:  "Twice  in  Mahaska  and  once  in  Marion 
Counties  have  preachers  been  driven  from  their  pulpits  because 
they  prayed  for  the  government  and  the  Union  armies."  There 
is,  however,  another  view  of  the  situation  in  Southern  Iowa. 
The  Union  side  was  growing  stronger  every  day  by  the  coming 
of  refugees  from  the  South,  driven  out  because  of  their  fidelity 
to  the  government  and  their  opposition  to  slavery.  Many  of 
them  were  compelled  to  flee  for  their  lives,  leaving  all  their 
possessions  behind;  a  large  number  of  slaves,  also  taking 
advantage  of  the  unsettled  state  of  things,  slipped  across  the 
border,  and  found  temporary  homes  in  Southern  Iowa,  the 
Iowa  Home  Guards  being  a  police  protection  to  all  such 
contrabands. 

And  still  the  record  of  loss  and  sorrow  goes  on.  A  pastor 
says,  "A  leading  man  in  the  church  was  killed  at  the  head  of 
his  company  at  the  hard  fought  battle  of  Pea  Ridge."  Another 
pastor  writes:  "One  of  our  members,  a  major  in  the  army,  was 
severely  wounded  at  Fort  Donelson.  Another  member  has 
now  three  balls  in  his  body  received  at  Belmont." 

William  Windsor  of  Davenport  thus  tells  of  the  situation: 
"The  war  has  absorbed  public  attention  to  the  exclusion  of 
every  other  theme.  Several  regiments  were  recruited  and 
barracked  here  the  past  fall  and  winter.  The  Sabbath 
morning  on  which  Fort  Donelson  was  surrendered,  as  I  was 
going  to  church,  a  dispatch  was  put  into  my  hands,  calling 
for  hospital  supplies.  In  accordance  with  the  request,  I  gave 
notice  that  the  ladies  of  the  congregation  would  meet  in  the 
afternoon  to  prepare  lint  and  bandages  for  our  wounded 


Q 

O 
H 

w 
if. 


IN   THE   WAR   TIME,    1861-1865  157 

soldiers.  The  consequence  was,  our  church  was  nearly  empty 
at  the  afternoon  service,  and  in  very  many  houses  the  after- 
noon of  that  day  was  spent  by  parents  and  children  in  scraping 
lint  and  tearing  bandages.  By  daylight  next  morning  the 
needful  supplies  were  all  ready,  and  were  soon  on  their  way  to 
Cairo.  So  many  soldiers  have  been  among  us,  so  many 
residents  of  this  town  and  county  are  in  the  war,  and  the  dead 
and  wounded  are  so  frequently  brought  back  to  us,  we  feel 
that  we  are  very  near  the  seat  of  war.  I  never  go  down  the 
streets  but  I  see  cripples  in  uniform.  We  all  feel  proud  of 
our  state  troops,  and  are  assured  that  if  an  Iowa  regiment 
is  in  a  fight,  there  will  be  sure  to  be  a  list  of  killed  and  wounded 
in  that  regiment.  Two  companies  of  the  Iowa  2nd,  that 
stormed  the  intrenchments  at  Donelson,  are  from  this  place." 

Brother  Smith  reports  eighty  volunteers  from  Osage  Town- 
ship with  two  hundred  voters.  "Some  thirty  of  these  have 
left  us  during  the  last  three  months.  Mothers,  wives,  sisters 
and  all,  begin  at  last  to  realize  something  of  the  terrible  cost 
at  which  the  war  is  carried  on.  A  company  recently  left 
our  village  on  Sabbath  morning.  I  was  called  upon  to  say 
something  and  lead  in  prayer  upon  the  occasion  of  their  de- 
parture." Father  Emerson  of  Sabula  pictures  the  sorrows 
of  the  war,  describing  the  soldiers'  funerals  he  has  attended; 
but  he  also  paints  the  glories  of  patriotic  service.  The  buried 
soldiers  belonged  to  the  Second  Regiment  of  Iowa  Volunteers, 
"whose  gallant  bearing  on  several  occasions  won  the  special 
commendation  of  their  commanding  general,  and  whose  flag, 
riddled  with  bullets,  was  subsequently  received  by  our  state 
legislature  with  pride  and  satisfaction,  and  was  hung  over  the 
speaker's  chair  in  the  hall  of  the  House  of  Representatives." 
Iowa  troops  were  with  the  men  of  whom  Gen.  0.  0.  Howard 
said,  "I  knew  that  Western  men  would  fight  well  and  nobly, 
but  I  did  not  know  that  they  went  into  battle,  and  stormed 
strong  forts  like  men  on  dress  parade." 

Other  communications  from  missionaries  and  others  in  this 


158  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

war  time  of  1862  lie  before  us,  asking  for  a  place  in  our  history, 
but  they  must  forever  remain  unpublished,  and  hid  away 
forever  from  sight  in  the  files  of  the  Home  Missionary. 

There  was  little  but  war  news  for  this  year.  However,  the 
work  expanded  a  little.  The  state  was  divided  into  two 
missionary  districts,  Julius  A.  Reed,  coming  back  into  the 
work  from  the  college,  taking  the  southern  half  of  the  state 
while  Jesse  Guernsey  continued  in  Northern  Iowa.  This  year 
Doctor  Magoun  was  elected  President  of  Iowa  College,  though 
it  was  three  years  before  the  chair,  lacking  the  wherewithal  to 
support  it,  was  ready  for  him. 

The  Minutes  show  only  two  churches  organized  this  year, 
the  one  at  Burr  Oak,  near  Decorah,  and  the  other  Black 
Hawk,  a  country  church  out  from  Fairfield,  and  under  the  wing 
of  the  Fairfield  church.  The  resolutions  of  the  General  Asso- 
ciation this  year  gave  thanks  to  God  for  the  victories  of  the  fed- 
eral armies,  and  scarcely  less  for  their  defeats  which  promised 
ultimate  success  to  the  national  cause.  They  recognized  "the 
wisdom,  tenacity  of  purpose,  endurance,  philanthropy,  honesty 
and  honor  exhibited  by  our  chief  magistrate,  which  command 
respect,  confidence,  admiration  and  love,  as  for  a  man  of 
extraordinary  fitness  for  his  high  office  in  these  times  of  un- 
paralleled trial." 

They  also  "observed  with  profound  satisfaction  the  high 
ground  taken  by  Messrs.  Grimes  and  Harlan  of  the  United 
States  Senate,  and  Wilson  of  the  House,  on  the  various  ques- 
tions of  national  concern."  They  also  "rejoice  in  the  progress 
of  anti-slavery  sentiments,"  but  "deeply  deplore  the  pro- 
slavery  sympathies  and  tendencies  still  existing,"  and  long 
for  "the  deliverance  for  all  the  oppressed,  and  for  the  proc- 
lamation of  liberty  throughout  all  the  land  to  all  the  inhabi- 
tants thereof." 

A  Ministerial  Relief  Fund  was  for  the  first  time  spoken  of  at 
this  meeting,  but,  as  there  was  no  pressing  need  for  such  a 
fund  just  then,  and  the  times  were  unfavorable  for  laying 


IN   THE   WAR  TIME,    1861-1865  169 

the  foundation  of  such  a  fund,  action  in  the  matter  was 
deferred. 

The  Sunday  morning  Home  Missionary  prayer  meeting, 
led  by  Secretary  Milton  Badger  of  the  Home  Missionary 
Society,  had  special  mention,  as  a  delightful  and  impressive 
occasion,  and  this  meeting  became  one  of  the  established  fea- 
tures of  the  Association.  This  year  the  Iowa  News  Letter, 
edited  by  Doctor  Holbrook,  Doctor  Magoun,  and  Superin- 
tendent Guernsey,  and  published  at  Dubuque,  made  its  ap- 
pearance to  run  its  course  to  a  finish  in  1867. 

"  The  combat  deepens."  January  1, 1863,  as  a  war  measure, 
Lincoln  issued  the  emancipation  proclamation.  April  17, 
Fort  Sumter  was  bombarded  by  the  federals.  May  2-3,  and 
3-4  the  battles  of  Chancellorsville  and  Fredericksburg.  July 
1-3  the  great  duel  at  Gettysburg;  and  July  4  the  surrender  of 
Vicksburg.  Chickamauga  and  Lookout  Mountain  in  Sep- 
tember and  November;  and  so  on  to  the  end  of  another  year 
of  carnage  and  of  death. 

The  Iowa  churches  were  represented  in  the  conflict.  Super- 
intendent Guernsey  summarized  as  follows:  "One  hundred 
and  fifteen  churches  report  but  a  small  fraction  less  than  one- 
fifth  of  their  entire  membership  in  the  army."  Illinois 
churches  reported  about  one-eighth,  and  Minnesota  one-ninth, 
Iowa  one-fifth.  "One  of  our  churches  has  two-thirds  of  its 
male  members  in  the  army;  seven  have  one-half,  sixteen  have 
one-third,  and  twenty  have  one-fourth.  Not  less  than  twelve 
hundred  and  fifty  men  are  reported  as  having  gone  to  the  war 
from  the  congregations  of  these  one  hundred  and  fifty  churches. 
Whole  communities  have  been  more  than  decimated  by  the 
work  of  enlistment." 

This  year,  1863,  Iowa  College  was  represented  in  the  field 
by  the  whole  Sophomore  class,  five  of  the  eleven  Freshmen, 
and  twenty-seven  from  the  preparatory  department.  There 
were  no  Junior  or  Senior  classes. 

Asa  Turner  of  Denmark  writes :  "  We  have  in  our  community 


160  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

fifteen  war  widows,  whose  husbands  are  in  the  army,  two 
widows  indeed,  and  seventy  in  the  army  out  of  one  hundred 
liable  to  do  miUtary  duty." 

Brother  A.  V.  House  of  Glenwood,  says:  "I  have  just 
returned  from  the  meeting  of  our  Association.  On  the  way  I 
met  more  women  on  the  road  driving  teams,  and  saw  more  of 
them  at  work  in  the  fields,  than  men.  They  seem  to  have 
said  to  their  husbands,  in  the  language  of  a  favorite  song: 

"Just  take  your  gun  and  go, 
For  Ruth  can  drive  the  oxen,  John, 
And  I  can  use  the  hoe." 

Father  Chauncey  Taylor  resigned  a  son  to  the  service  and 
to  death,  "for  the  love  of  a  country,  united  and  free." 

"Grief  upon  grief!"  exclaims  Brother  Keith  of  Brookfield; 
"several  of  our  best  and  most  promising  men  have  lost  their 
lives  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg.  Out  of  one  family  from  which 
four  enlisted  last  October,  three  have  died,  and  the  surviving 
one  is  reported  at  the  point  of  death."  "Out  of  fifteen  young 
men  who  enlisted  at  that  time,  two-thirds  are  now  dead.  The 
sorrows  of  some  of  these  families  are  overwhelming."  There 
is  another  side,  a  glow  of  glory  in  this  awful  business.  Brother 
Griffith  of  Old  Man's  Creek  with  humble  pride  thanks  God 
for  his  brave  son,  a  boy  of  twenty,  of  whom  his  commanding 
officer,  General  Lawler,  sending  him  a  commission  as  first 
Lieutenant,  writes:  "On  the  22nd  ult.,  Sergeant  Joseph  E. 
Griffith  of  Company  I,  22nd  Iowa  Infantry,  with  twelve  others 
from  the  same  regiment,  scaled  the  walls  of  the  fort  immedi- 
ately in  our  front,  engaged  in  a  hand-to-hand  contest  with 
twice  their  number  of  the  enemy,  overcame  them,  killing  and 
wounding  fifteen,  and  compelled  the  rest  to  surrender.  But 
the  victory  was  dearly  bought.  By  twelve  o'clock,  Sergeant 
Griffith  and  Private  David  K.  Train,  of  the  same  company, 
were  all  that  were  left  of  the  twelve  who  first  went  in.  By 
the  explosion  of  a  hand  grenade  about  that  time.  Sergeant 
Griffith  was  knocked  senseless.     On  recovery,  he  ordered  his 


IN   THE   WAR  TIME,    1861-1865  161 

prisoners  to  follow  him,  and  with  them  passed  safely  over  the 
walls  of  the  fort  into  our  lines,  and  delivered  them  into  my 
hands." 

Another  father's  heart  is  filled  with  pride,  and  wrung  with 
anguish;  and  this  is  his  story:  ''On  the  21st  of  February,  my 
only  son  was  laid  in  a  soldier's  grave,  at  Young's  Point,  near 
Vicksburg.  Two  years  ago  this  spring,  he  left  the  peaceful 
halls  of  college,  then  about  completing  his  first  year,  and 
entered  the  'Iowa  First.'  He  was  at  the  battle  of  Wilson's 
Creek,  and  stood  within  a  few  paces  of  Totten'.s  battery  during 
the  day,  and  came  out  with  only  a  sUght  wound.  He  returned 
home  in  the  fall  with  an  honorable  discharge.  When  the 
regiment  was  disbanded,  last  fall,  he  enlisted  again  in  the 
30th  regiment,  and  went  and  maintained  himself  with  credit. 
The  Sabbath  before  he  enhsted,  he  made  a  pubhc  profession 
of  religion.  Now,  he  is  gone.  Nothing  has  ever  occurred 
with  me  before  which  so  deeply  affected  the  hidden  fountain 
of  my  life.  I  feel  that  the  sacrifice  I  have  made  for  the  defense 
of  my  country  is  great;  still  I  cannot  say  that  I  regret  doing 
what  I  could." 

This  was  one  of  the  men  of  the  "Iowa  First"  who  said  to 
General  Lyon  at  Wilson's  Creek,  "Give  us  a  leader,  General, 
and  we  will  follow  him  unto  death."  "I  will  lead  you,"  said 
the  great,  brave  Christian  Lyon ;  and  they  followed  him,  many 
of  them  that  great  day  "unto  death." 

Is  there  no  end  to  the  story  of  the  costly  sacrifice?  Now, 
dear,  good;  simple-hearted  David  Knowles,  of  Long  Creek, 
tells  how  his  David  died  in  his  country's  service:  "On  the  17th 
of  July,  my  son  David  was  brought  to  Jefferson  Barracks,  very 
sick.  I  heard  of  it  soon,  and  was  there  five  days  after  his 
arrival.  I  borrowed  the  money;  and  stayed  with  him  till  the 
sixth  of  August,  when  he  died.  He  died  a  happy,  and  to, all 
appearances,  an  easy  death.  He  had  been  doing  picket  duty 
at  Vicksburg,  and  was  well  until  after  its  surrender;  and  he 
had  done  much  service  to  his  country  during  the  two  years  of 

12 


162  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

his  soldier  life.  I  brought  his  remains  home  and  buried  them 
on  Sabbath,  the  9th  of  August.  I  shall  never  cease  to  thank 
the  Lord  for  permitting  me  to  watch  over  my  son  for  more  than 
two  weeks;  and  to  bring  his  remains  home,  to  lay  them  beside 
three  others  of  my  children  buried  there."  Who  can  measure 
the  sacrifice  of  fathers  and  mothers  as  they  laid  their  sons 
upon  the  altar  of  their  country!  How  can  we  worthily  honor 
the  brave  young  men  who  fell  in  their  country's  defense? 
Shall  we  begrudge  the  old  soldier  of  the  remnant  band  his  little 
stipend  purchased  by  the  hazards  and  hardships  of  camp  and 
battlefield? 

In  these  war  times  missionary  collections  also  felt  the  shock 
of  battle.  Parson  Smith  of  Osage  reports:  "Our  contribution 
was  twelve  dollars.  Knowing  that  it  would  be  idle  to  ask  for 
money,  I  announced  to  the  congregation  that  grain,  store 
goods,  or  such  articles  as  could  be  used  in  a  family  would  be 
accepted.  Accordingly,  I  obtained  twenty-five  cents  in  silver, 
one  dollar  and  thirty  cents  in  shinplasters,  and  the  balance  in 
grain,  etc.  The  people  are  as  much  as  ever  interested  in  the 
cause  of  home  missions,  but  where  there  is  no  water  in  the 
well,  nothing  can  be  pumped  out." 

At  the  state  association  the  brethren  lamented  the  continu- 
ance of  the  rebeUion,  and  the  suffering  of  the  war,  but  resolved 
that  the  war  must  continue  until  the  rebelUon  should  be 
crushed.  They  heartily  endorsed  the  emancipation  procla- 
mation as  "just,  constitutional,  and  necessary."  They  were 
profoundly  grateful  "for  the  peace  and  quiet  that  reigns  in 
the  state;  for  the  patriotism  of  our  civil  and  military  oflBicers; 
for  the  heroism  of  our  soldiers;  for  the  hberal  generosity  of 
our  people  to  the  sick  and  wounded;  and  especially  for  the 
increase  of  humble  and  fervent  prayer  in  behalf  of  our  afflicted 
nation." 

Iowa  College,  which  had  now  a  president  elect,  and  four 
instructors  on  the  ground,  and  a  few  students  that  had  not 
joined  the  army,  was  in  a  special  way  recognized  by  the  Asso- 


IN  THE  WAR  TIME,   1861-1865  163 

elation  as  a  child  of  the  churches,  and  a  helper  in  the  work  of 
the  kingdom;  and  they  pledged  to  it  increased  loyalty  and 
financial  support;  and  bade  good  cheer  to  Doctor  Holbrook 
who  was  then  in  the  East  trying  to  raise  two  thousand  dollars 
for  the  current  expenses  of  the  institution.  He  had  good  cheer 
and  good  success,  and  raised  the  two  thousand  by  two  Sabbath 
addresses;  then  he  was  asked  if  possible  to  raise  $20,000  for 
endowment,  and  he  returned  with  cash  and  pledges  to  the 
amount  of  $40,000! 

The  push  of  civilization  into  the  wilderness  has  here  a 
striking  illustration.  Professor  Peck  of  Oberlin  visited 
Grinnell,  "a  rehgio-literary  colony  of  Eastern  origin."  "In 
the  middle  of  the  afternoon,"  he  says,  "we  reached  the  end 
of  the  rail,  and  here,  in  a  wide  prairie,  with  no  house  in  sight, 
stood  the  stages  which  were  to  take  the  passengers  farther 
west — coaches  for  Council  Bluffs,  for  Denver,  for  Salt  Lake 
City,  for  San  Francisco;  the  shuttles  which  are  weaving  the 
web  which  is  soon  to  bind  the  far  East  and  the  far  West — 
here  they  were !  Night  brought  us  to  Grinnell,  and  friends  and 
hospitality  as  warm  as  love  itself.  The  next  day  we  visited 
Iowa  College,  whose  building  stands  on  the  summit  between 
the  Mississippi  and  the  Missouri.  We  found  Professor  Parker 
presiding  at  Rhetorical  Exercises.  As  we  were  hearing  the 
essays  I  saw  a  huge  flock  of  prairie  chickens  alight  in  the 
campus.  This,  thought  I,  is  Christian  enterprise  pushing  its 
outposts  to  the  wilds  of  nature." 

Church  extension  this  year  was  very  limited,  the  only  new 
organization  being  the  little  church  at  Fairfax.  Church 
building  enterprises  were  for  the  most  part  abandoned;  the 
Bradford  building,  however,  began  to  materialize,  the  founda- 
tions being  laid  and  the  sills  framed  and  put  in  place.  "Our 
only  real  ground  for  encouragement  in  the  future,  humanly 
speaking,"  says  the  pastor,  "lies  in  those  waiting  sills." 

Among  the  many  pastoral  changes  of  the  year,  we  note  that 
Harvey  Adams  of  the  Band,  after  three  years  of  service  at 


164  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Council  Bluffs,  returned  with  joy  to  his  people  at  Farmington, 
and  received  from  them  a  hearty  welcome  home;  and  now,  to 
hold  him  fast,  they  install  him  as  their  pastor.  B,  A.  Spauld- 
ing  leaving  very  reluctantly  a  pastorate  of  twenty  years  at 
Ottumwa,  sought  rest  by  change  and  recuperation  in  the 
bracing  climate  of  Wisconsin,  locating  at  Eau  Claire.  This 
year,  too,  we  welcomed  Joseph  Pickett  to  our  ministry,  and 
to  the  pastorate  at  Mount  Pleasant.  October  31  of  this  year, 
there  was  a  notable  gathering  at  the  Muscatine  parsonage,  as 
pastor  and  people  celebrated  the  twentieth  anniversary  of 
Mr.  Robbins'  pastorate.  The  record  of  his  call  in  1843  reads 
"Rev.  A.  B.  Robbins  was  invited  to  officiate  as  pastor  of  the 
church  for  the  present."  It  would  be  well  if  all  pastors  should 
have  such  a  temporary  engagement!  "For  the  present" 
meant  twenty  years,  and  forty  years,  and  nearly  fifty  years. 
One  of  the  love  tokens  of  the  occasion  was  a  one  hundred  dollar 
bill.  Mr.  Robbins  concluded  his  remarks  by  saying:  "On 
the  whole,  making  due  allowance  for  the  kind  and  easy  judg- 
ment of  an  affectionate  people,  I  owe,  under  God,  whatever 
there  is  good  in  a  long  pastorate,  and  such  unbroken  relations, 
mainly  to  my  cherished  love  of  liberty,  my  hatred  of  intem- 
perance and  oppression,  and  my  indifference  as  to  my  staying 
here  or  anywhere  else  unless  I  could  have  the  privilege  of  think- 
ing as  I  pleased,  and  speaking  what  I  think,  responsible  only 
to  my  master  Christ.  It  has  sometimes  been  a  rough  road  to 
walk,  but  in  it,  one  by  one,  there  have  gathered  about  us  hearts 
as  true  as  steel,  and  men  and  women  dearer  than  brother  or 
sister  by  natural  birth,  can  possibly  be.  To  not  a  few  such  I 
am  glad  this  night  to  give  a  fresh  and  warm  greeting,  and 
congratulate  you  that  the  work  of  freedom  and  truth  goes 
bravely  on  in  our  land  and  world,  so  far  ahead  of  twenty  years 
ago." 

The  days  of  1864  were  very  gloomy,  and  the  price  of  patri- 
otism was  very  great.  March  12,  was  the  beginning  of  the 
disastrous  Red  River  expedition;  April  13,  the  Fort  Pillow 


IN  THE  WAR  TIME,   1861-1865  165 

massacre;  July  22-28  costly  victories  before  Atlanta;  then  the 
victorious  march  to  the  sea,  and  the  end  was  in  sight.  Several 
of  the  Iowa  pastors  were  doing  service  of  one  sort  or  another 
in  the  army.  Father  Sands  of  Keosauqua  had  gone  to  Texas 
as  chaplain  of  the  19th  Iowa  Regiment.  Father  Todd  of  Tabor 
was  chaplain  of  the  46th.  Chamberlain,  Pickett,  and  Salter 
were  in  the  South  in  the  "Christian  Commission  service." 
D.  N.  Bordwell  returned  after  two  years  of  service  as  chaplain 
and  accepted  a  call  to  Charles  City.  In  his  book  entitled 
"Sixty  Years,"  Doctor  Salter  gives  an  account  of  his  six  weeks' 
experience  in  tent  and  hospital  and  the  open  field  as  he  fol- 
lowed Sherman's  army  in  his  approaches  to  Atlanta. 

Hillsboro  and  Salem  reported  every  member  of  each  church, 
liable  to  military  duty,  in  the  Union  army. 

Father  Windsor  reports:  "A  few  days  ago  we  bade  farewell 
to  the  last  of  forty-nine  volunteers.  This  fills  our  full  quota 
for  the  county  under  the  last  call  of  the  President.  There  is 
a  growing  conviction  in  our  community  that  unless  the  rebellion 
is  put  down,  we  lose  all.  We  hope  we  see  1  ght  breaking  in 
the  distance." 

Companies  began  to  come  back  on  furlough.  J.  H.  Windsor 
of  Marion  reports:  "A  few  days  since,  our  citizens  welcomed 
back  for  thirty  days  a  company  of  veteran  volunteers.  The 
ladies,  with  only  a  few  hours  notice,  prepared  a  bountiful  enter- 
tainment for  the  soldiers.  The  company  was  recruited  almost 
entirely  from  Marion  and  vicinity.  Two  years  and  a  half 
ago  they  went  out  one  hundred  and  one  strong ;  they  returned 
twenty-five  effective  men.  The  ladies  of  Boston  presented 
this  regiment  with  a  flag  after  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge.  That 
flag  was  returned  to  its  donors  riddled  with  shot,  and  baptized 
with  the  blood  of  its  unflinching  defenders."  These  ladies 
sent  the  regiment  another  flag,  covered  with  the  names  of  the 
battlefields  "won  by  the  valor,  and  made  sacred  by  the  lives, 
of  brave  men." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  State  Association,  held  again  at  Grin- 


166  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

nell,  the  brethren  rejoiced  that  the  Methodists  and  Presby- 
terians and  other  denominations  are  coming  on  toward  the 
position  of  CongregationaUsts  respecting  the  crime  of  slavery. 
They  pledged  the  President,  and  their  soldier  brothers  at  the 
front,  that  they  would  stand  by  them  in  the  mighty  struggle. 
They  urged  a  change  in  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Iowa  which 
were  "averse  to  the  equal  rights  of  the  colored  man."  They 
again  put  in  a  plea  for  Iowa  College,  especially  on  the  ground 
that  Home  Missionary  ministers  were  greatly  needed,  and  they 
looked  to  the  college  for  a  supply.  They  resolve  to  complete 
the  fifty  thousand  dollar  endowment  fund,  which  lacked  of 
this  amount  about  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  new  Welsh  and 
German  Associations  recently  organized  were  received  to 
membership  at  this  meeting. 

At  the  college  Commencement  this  year  there  were  only  two 
young  men  in  college  classes,  and  they  were  too  young  for 
enlistment.  Young  ladies  hasten  from  the  Commencement 
platform  to  do  the  work  of  their  brothers  in  the  harvest  field. 
On  a  tablet  in  the  college  chapel  are  the  names  of  eleven 
students  who  gave  up  their  lives  in  the  defense  of  their 
country. 

Evidently  the  times  were  a  little  better,  for  the  very  first 
record  of  the  year  respecting  the  Iowa  Churches,  in  the  News 
Letter,  was  a  report  of  a  donation  party  at  Decorah,  by  which 
Brother  Adams  was  enriched  to  the  extent  of  $139.60;  Brother 
O.  W.  Merrill  of  Anamosa  was  overwhelmed  by  a  gift  of  $100; 
Jesse  Guernsey  was  the  victim  of  a  surprise;  J.  H.  Windsor 
of  Marion  received  a  purse  of  $83;  Brother  Fifield  of  Cedar 
Falls,  $110;  C.  S.  Cady  of  Maquoketa,  $110;  J.  R.  Upton  of 
Monona,  $90;  Father  Windsor  of  New  Oregon,  $90;  Father 
Emerson  of  Sabula,  $60,  and  Brother  Coleman  of  Mitchell 
reported  donations  of  $66  besides  twenty-four  loads  of  wood 
"hauled  up"  to  the  parsonage. 

There  was  a  perfect  epidemic  of  dedications.  The  first 
Sabbath  of  the  year,  Burr  Oak  dedicated  a  building  22  x  40, 


IN  THE  WAR  TIME,   1861-1865  167 

costing  $1,100.  February  21,  the  Webster  City  people  dedi- 
cated a  church  building,  transformed  into  a  sanctuary  from 
an  old  school  building.  April  7,  Eddyville  dedicated  a  sanc- 
tuary costing  about  S3,000.  April  14,  there  was  a  dedication 
at  Anamosa,  O.  W.  Merrill  pastor,  Superintendent  Guernsey 
preaching  the  sermon.  April  20,  Denmark  dedicated  for  the 
third  time.  The  first  building  was  the  old  "cradle  of  Congre- 
gationalism in  Iowa,"  in  which  the  first  church,  and  also  the 
General  Association  and  Denmark  Association  were  organized, 
Denmark  Academy  founded,  and  seven  of  the  Band  ordained. 
The  second  meeting-house  was  "burned  by  an  incendiary," 
"through  secession's  malignity  and  spite,"  the  people  said, 
but  later  it  was  found  that  a  Denmark  citizen  was  the  culprit, 
"the  emissaries  of  slavery  from  Missouri"  having  nothing 
to  do  with  it.  This  building,  now  in  use,  cost  about  $4,500. 
Doctor  Thatcher  of  Keokuk,  preached  the  sermon,  and  Doctor 
Salter  offered  the  prayer.  These  "D.  D."  affixes  did  not 
belong  to  these  brethren  at  this  time.  Salter's  came  within 
three  months,  and  he  enjoyed  the  distinction  for  a  time  of 
being  "the  only  Doctor  of  Divinity  among  the  Congregational 
ministers  of  Iowa."  At  the  time  of  the  dedication  Father 
Turner  said:  "We  have  raised  for  our  three  meeting-houses 
and  the  Academy,  what  would  average  about  $3,000  a  year 
for  twenty-five  years.  This  has  been  a  heavy  draft  on  a 
community  of  farmers  who  earn  all  by  the  sweat  of  their 
brows." 

In  September  of  this  year  there  was  great  rejoicing  among 
the  people  of  Manchester  over  their  first  sanctuary.  And 
no  wonder,  for  all  these  eight  years  services  had  been  held  in 
all  sorts  of  places,  private  dwellings,  the  rude  schoolhouse, 
halls,  store  buildings,  etc.,  etc.  "  It  would  be  utterly  impossible 
for  me,"  said  Pastor  Loring,  "to  describe  the  unbounded  joy 
of  all  our  little  Zion  and  the  evident  gratification  of  all  the 
lovers  of  good  society  at  this  happy  termination  of  the 
unwearied  efforts  of  the  last  eighteen  months.    We  have  now  a 


168  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

house  of  our  own.  It  is  commodious  and  comely.  It  has  a 
tower,  belfry,  spire,  and  accommodations  for  three  hundred 
persons.  It  has  cost  in  cash  about  $3,000;  all  of  which  has 
been  raised  in  this  place  with  the  exception  of  $300  generously 
given  us  by  the  Congregational  Union." 

Among  the  pastoral  changes  of  the  year,  the  following  may 
be  noted:  Doctor  Holbrook  now  accepted  a  call  to  Homer, 
New  York.  All  of  these  twenty-two  years  of  ministry  in  the 
Middle  West,  with  the  exception  of  three  years  in  Chicago, 
were  in  Dubuque.  He  began  with  almost  nothing;  he  left  a 
church  with  a  fine  property  and  a  membership  of  two  hundred 
and  twenty-one.  Nearly  half  of  these,  however,  were  just 
then  absent,  the  men,  for  the  most  part,  "at  the  front." 

From  October  of  this  year,  for  a  good  many  years.  Dr. 
Lyman  Whiting,  from  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  might  be 
found,  under  "the  church  eaves,"  or  in  the  sanctuary,  or  on 
the  streets  of  Dubuque,  an  honored  citizen  of  Iowa,  welcomed 
in  all  our  churches. 

Doctor  Magoun  resigned  his  work  at  Lyons  to  accept  the 
Presidency  of  Iowa  College,  but  he  spent  a  number  of  months 
abroad  before  entering  upon  the  active  duties  of  the  office. 
Probably  one  of  the  occasions  of  his  resignation  so  early  was 
the  death  of  his  wife,  Abbie  Anne  Hyde  Magoun,  in  February 
of  this  year.  She  was  born  at  Bath,  Maine,  October  17,  1824, 
and  was  in  the  fortieth  year  of  her  life  when  she  was  called  to 
her  reward.  She  was  a  gentle,  modest,  winning  woman,  but 
withal  a  woman  of  great  courage  and  fortitude.  She  met  the 
privations  of  her  western  home  missionary  life  with  a  brave 
and  uncomplaining  spirit,  and  did  well  her  part  in  all  the  sta- 
tions she  was  called  to  occupy.  "Her  death  was  a  sweet  climax 
of  her  life,  full  of  gentleness  and  peace.  She  had  no  prepara- 
tion to  make,  for  she  was  ready,  always  ready." 

One  of  the  achievements  of  1864,  was  the  completion  of  the 
"Little  Brown  Church  in  the  Vale."  "Forty  and  six  years" 
was  Solomon's  temple  in  building,  but  the  time  consumed  ijj 


IN   THE   WAR  TIME,    1861-1865  169 

the  erection  of  this  Bradford  temple  was  only  forty-three  years 
short  of  this. 

"It  positively  tires  me,"  says  Mr.  Nutting,  "to  think  of 
the  tugging  and  lifting  by  which  it  has  been  done.  Our 
town  was  at  the  lowest  ebb  in  business  matters.  Within  a 
year  more  than  one  hundred  dollars  walked  off  by  removals. 
The  crash  of  1857  was  succeeded  by  the  'Stumptail'  panic  in 
which  a  great  part  of  the  currency  evaporated  into  paper 
rags."  But  lots  were  secured  in  the  midst  of  fine  old  oak  trees; 
trees  in  the  timber  were  donated  for  the  dimension  lumber; 
these  were  cut,  and  drawn  to  the  saw-mill  by  volunteer  labor; 
stone  was  donated,  and  quarried,  and  brought  to  the  building, 
and  laid  in  the  wall  "without  money  and  without  price,"  and 
without  any  account  of  cost.  Then  there  came  a  "Selah," 
a  "solemn  pause"  of  very  long  duration;  and  some  of  the 
croakers  said  it  never  would  be  finished.  But  it  was  finished. 
Subscribers  subscribed  again.  Doctor  Todd  of  Pittsfield, 
Massachusetts,  through  the  pastor,  got  interested  in  the 
enterprise,  and  interested  his  people  to  the  amount  of  $110. 
December  29,  the  building,  26  x  50,  and  costing  about  $2500 
was  ready  for  dedication.  In  a  way  the  occasion  was  dis- 
appointing. The  day  was  so  stormy  that  not  many  of  the 
brethren  who  were  to  take  part  in  the  services  were  present. 
Brother  D.  N.  Bordwell,  of  Charles  City,  preached  the  sermon. 
There  was  no  money  to  be  raised.  A  year  later,  this  building 
began  to  be  known  as  "The  Little  Brown  Church  in  the  Vale." 

Dr.  W.  S.  Pitts  of  Fredericksburg  came  over  to  Bradford 
to  teach  an  old-fashioned  singing-school.  In  a  recent  letter, 
Mr.  Nutting  says:  "He  boarded  at  Mr.  John  Bird's,  whose 
daughter  Celia,  a  child  of  about  fourteen,  was  a  worshipper 
at,  and  almost  of,  the  little  church,  which  was  the  first  and 
only  one  she  had  ever  seen,  and  in  whose  erection  she  had 
assisted  to  the  best  of  her  childish  ability.  She  was  often 
talking  about  the  dear  church,  and  the  song,  I  think,  was 
■yvritten  primarily  to  please  her;  it  at  once  proved  to  be  sq 


170  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

popular,  that  the  Doctor  sent  it  to  a  publisher."  The  song 
has  been  published  in  several  languages,  and  it  has  been  sung 
the  world  around. 

There's  a  church  in  a  valley  by  the  wildwood, 

No  lovelier  place  in  the  dale; 
No  spot  is  so  dear  to  my  childhood, 

As  the  Uttle  brown  church  in  the  vale. 

CHORUS. 

Oh,  come,  come,  come,  come, 
Come  to  the  church  by  the  wildwood. 

Oh,  come  to  the  church  in  the  dale ; 
No  spot  is  so  dear  to  my  childhood. 

As  the  httle  brown  church  in  the  vale. 

How  sweet  on  a  bright  Sabbath  morning 

To  hst  to  the  clear  ringing  bell; 
Its  tones  so  sweetly  are  calling. 

Oh,  come  to  the  church  in  the  vale. 

CHORUS. 

There,  close  by  the  church  in  the  valley. 

Lies  one  that  I  loved  so  well; 
She  sleeps,  sweetly  sleeps,  neath  the  willow; 

Disturb  not  her  rest  in  the  vale. 

CHORUS. 

There,  close  by  the  side  of  that  loved  one, 
'Neath  the  tree  where  the  wild  flowers  bloom. 

When  the  farewell  hymn  shall  be  chanted, 
I  shall  rest  by  her  side  in  the  tomb. 

CHORUS. 

This  year  the  Grinnell  building  was  enlarged  "to  accom- 
modate an  additional  one  hundred  persons,"  and  there  were 
an  additional  one  hundred  persons  to  be  accommodated 

The  new  churches  of  the  year  number  three;  Waukon,  des- 
tined soon  to  die;  Lansing  Ridge,  German;  and  Pacific,  which 
was  little  more  than  a  name.  Only  Lansing  Ridge  had  a 
mission  and  is  now  alive.  This  church  has  done  excellent  work 
among  the  Germans  of  Alamakee  County. 


IN  THE  WAR  TIME,    1861-1865  171 

Now  we  come  to  the  momentous  events  of  1865.  Sherman 
continued  his  march  from  the  sea  to  Washington;  Lincoln  was 
again  inaugurated;  Lee  and  Grant  met  at  Appomattox;  then 
the  assassin's  fatal  shot.     And  then 

"  Johnnie  comes  marching  home  again,  hurrah !  " 

And  with  him  all  the  other  boys,  all  that  were  left  of  them. 
We  old  gray  beards  cannot  forget  that  we  belong  to  "only  a 
remnant  of  a  generation";  the  war  deprived  us  of  our  full 
complement  of  men.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year,  nobody 
could  tell  what  the  year  would  bring  forth,  though  some  thought 
they  saw  the  beginning  of  the  end.  Enlistments  were  still 
going  on.  The  antagonisms,  animosities,  sufferings,  sorrows, 
sacrifices,  horrors  of  the  war,  were  unabated.  Pastor  Loring 
of  Manchester  was  sent  to  Cairo  to  see  a  sick  soldier  of  his 
parish;  he  brought  him  home  to  his  mother,  dead.  Later  his 
own  son  fell,  "charging  the  batteries  of  the  enemy  on  the 
second  day  of  the  great  battle  before  Nashville,  and  was 
buried  on  the  spot  where  he  fell."  "Parental  affection  could 
not  rest  until  his  remains  were  recovered  and  buried  in  our 
cemetery  at  home.  I  had  the  sad  office  of  finding  his  soldier 
grave,  and  taking  him  therefrom  with  my  own  hands.  On 
our  arrival  home,  Mr.  Guernsey  preached  a  very  impressive 
sermon  to  a  congregation  that  more  than  filled  our  meeting- 
house, and  we  laid  one  of  the  best  of  boys  in  his  last  resting 
place  to  await  the  morning  of  the  resurrection."  Brother 
Apthorp  writes:  "I  have  been  called  to  the  sad  service  of 
burying  one  of  my  three  sons  who  were  in  the  army.  He  was 
lieutenant  in  a  colored  company,  and  in  a  charge  on  a  part 
of  Hood's  army,  near  Decatur,  Alabama,  was  shot  and  killed 
instantly.  His  men  carried  his  body  from  the  field  "in  a 
shower  of  balls,"  several  shots  striking  him  as  he  was  being 
borne  away.  His  body  was  sent  to  Davenport,  where  I  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  his  face,  then  I  took  him  to  Port 
Byron,  and  buried  him  by  his  mother." 


172  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Brother  C.  S.  Cady  suffered  a  like  cup  of  sorrow.  His  son, 
day  after  day,  in  the  battle  before  Atlanta,  escaped  unharmed, 
but  fell  a  victim  of  disease,  and  another  Iowa  home  was  filled 
with  angui'h. 

Then  there  was  a  day  of  tumultuous  joy  throughout  Iowa  and 
all  the  North.  The  tidings  reached  Iowa  early  Monday  morn- 
ing, April  9.  In  the  cities,  Dubuque,  and  other  places,  the 
clamor  of  joy  was  heard  at  midnight,  and  the  streets  were  soon 
alive,  and  ablaze  with  shouts  and  music,  and  bells  and  torches 
and  bonfires  and  illuminated  windows.  Lee  had  surrendered 
to  Grant!     The  war  was  over! 

Four  days  later,  how  changed  the  scene!  Tidings  had  come 
at  which  strong  men  turned  pale,  and  some  of  them  cried  like 
children.  They  deserted  their  toil,  and  gathered  in  silent 
groups  to  rehearse  in  undertones  the  startling  news.  The 
President  v  as  dying,  shot  by  an  assassin!  The  flags,  which 
but  a  few  hours  ago  fluttered  in  joy,  now  drooped.  Every 
loyal  heart  was  pierced  and  bleeding.  A  nation  was  in  tears. 
The  whole  world  now  had  a  good  word  for  the  immortal 
Lincoln!  Well  do  I  remember  that  dreadful  morning  when  a 
fellow  college  student  called  across  the  street,  "Lincoln  has 
been  assassinated!"  and  I  blurted  back,  "You  lie!  you  lie!" 
but  I  knew  that  he  told  the  awful  truth. 

And,  oh,  that  doleful  Saturday  in  which  we  draped  the 
church;  and  that  still  more  doleful  Sunday  when  the  preachers, 
poor  men,  tried  to  interpret  the  providence  of  God,  and  to 
comfort  us  by  suggesting  that  Andrew  Johnson  would  be  better 
for  reconstruction,  that  Lincoln  would  have  been  too  easy  with 
the  rebels,  but  that  Johnson  would  bring  the  leaders  to  con- 
dign punishment.  In  Iowa  the  grief  was  well-nigh  universal, 
as  it  was  heartfelt  and  sincere.  The  churches  generally,  fell 
in  with  the  recommendations  of  the  governor  that  public 
services  should  be  held  in  memory  of  the  martyred  President. 

Today,  so  far  removed  from  the  bitter  antagonisms  of  the 
war,  one  is  a  good  deal  surprised  and  disappointed  and  really 


IN   THE   WAR  TIME,    1861-1865  173 

shocked  by  the  tone  of  the  resolutions  this  year  adopted  by 
the  brethren  of  the  State  Association.  They  indeed  review 
the  events  of  the  years  of  the  war,  "in  humble  and  grateful 
amazement  at  what  God  has  wrought,"  and  they  make  refer- 
ence to  the  President  in  the  tender  tones  of  affection,  but  this 
in  close  connection  with  scathing  maledictions  upon  those  who 
were  the  cause  of  his  untimely  taking  off.  The  brethren 
avowed  in  their  resolutions  that  they  "mean  to  perpetuate 
their  reprobation  of  those  dwelling  among  us  who  have  been 
persistently  resisting  God's  work,  sowing  discord  and  disloyalty 
embarrassing  the  nation  in  its  great  struggle  to  extinguish 
oppression,  and  to  confirm  civil  liberty  to  mankind."  They 
also  declared  in  favor  of  "a  full  enfranchisement  of  the  negro," 
fearful  that  if  that  is  refused  the  nation  will  suffer  fresh  retri- 
butions. They  also  called  for  the  punishment  to  treason;  and 
declared  that  "indiscriminate  mercy  to  leading  traitors  is 
so  much  wrong  and  cruelty  to  the  nation  imperilled  by  their 
crimes,"  and  they  "solemnly  invoke  that  justice  be  made  so 
to  assert  itself  upon  the  masters  in  this  enormous  perfidy, 
that  all  future  treason  shall  have  unequivocal  warning  before 
it — "  the  plain  English  of  this  rhetoric  being,  "Let  Jeff 
Davis  and  a  lot  of  his  fellow  conspirators  and  traitors,  be 
hanged." 

Probably  every  one  of  those  who  that  day  voted  for  this 
resolution  lived  to  see  the  day  when  they  were  glad  that  their 
advice  was  not  followed.  They  also  suggested  to  the  Congre- 
gational brethren  of  England,  Wales  and  Canada  that  their 
expressions  of  sympathy  were  accepted,  but  that  they  came 
rather  late  in  the  day;  the  last,  long  resolution,  closing  in 
these  words:  "We  accept,  however,  their  expressions  of  fra- 
ternal sympathy,  late  as  they  are  in  coming,  and  trust  that 
in  the  work  among  the  freedmen,  laid  upon  us  as  a  result  of 
the  war,  we  shall  have  their  outspoken  and  cooperative  prayers 
and  efforts." 

Materially,  in  this  year,  1865,  Iowa  had  prosperous  times. 


174  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

The  crops  were  good  and  the  farmers  get  "war  prices"  for  their 
produce.  There  was  another  epidemic  of  donations.  Dubuque 
presented  Doctor  Whiting  with  an  album  of  "familiar  faces" 
and  every  face  was  that  of  a  United  States  greenback.  Brother 
Adams  of  Decorah  was  still  more  bountifully  remembered  by 
his  people,  the  donation  amounting  to  $220;  and  Brother 
S.  P.  Sloan  of  McGregor,  had  a  donation  of  $400;  and  it 
seems  as  if  about  every  Congregational  preacher  in  the  state 
was  the  happy  victim  of  a  donation  party. 

The  new  churches  began  again  to  multiply.  Waverly  was 
first  for  this  year,  Rev.  E.  S.  Palmer  the  first  pastor.  Grove 
City  came  next,  Reuben  Gaylord  of  Nebraska  the  moderator 
of  the  council.  By  and  by  a  railroad  will  come  along  and  Grove 
City  will  move  up  to  Atlantic.  Next  was  Chester  Center,  a 
suburb  of  Grinnell.  "Principal  Buck"  just  introduced  to 
Iowa  College  was  scribe  of  the  council  and  Doctor  Magoun 
preached  the  sermon.  For  years  instructors  in  the  college 
supplied  this  church,  Professor  C.  W.  Clapp  being  recognized 
as  its  pastor.  Monroe  was  next;  it  lived  and  thrived  for 
twenty  years,  then  became  extinct. 

Ames  has  not  become  extinct.  There  was  a  union  Sunday 
school  on  the  "College  Farm,"  as  the  place  was  called,  as  early 
as  1863.  In  1864  services  were  held  at  irregular  intervals. 
In  1865  the  Northwestern  railroad  reached  the  place  and  the 
station  named  in  honor  of  Hon.  Oakes  Ames  of  Massachusetts. 
In  the  autumn  of  this  year.  Rev.  John  White  of  Woodstock, 
Connecticut,  coming  West  for  his  health,  arrived  and  held  his 
first  service  in  the  depot,  his  pulpit  being  a  dry  goods  box. 
Mr.  White  was  promptly  called  to  the  pastorate,  and  the  church 
at  once  began  a  house  of  worship.  This  was  dedicated  in 
September,  1866,  Doctor  Magoun  preaching  the  sermon. 
The  bell,  still  doing  service,  is  the  gift  of  Mr.  Ames. 

College  Springs,  organized  this  year,  soon  became  known 
as  an  "anti"  church,  opposed  to  liquor,  tobacco,  secret  socie- 
ties, etc.     For  about  a  quarter  of  a  century  it  had  a  place  and 


IN  THE  WAR  TIME,   1861-1865  175 

a  mission;  then,  in  an  over-churched  community  concluded 
that  it  could  best  "glorify  God  in  dying." 

New  Providence,  organized  this  year,  at  length,  in  the 
interests  of  Christian  unity,  resigned  in  favor  of  the  Quakers. 

The  "Independent  Presbyterian  church"  of  Wittenberg 
developed  into  Congregationalism;  and  the  Quincy  church 
was  organized  October  31.  It  soon  lost  its  life,  to  live  again 
in  the  Corning  church. 

In  this  year  of  returning  prosperity,  Marion,  Decorah, 
Anamosa  and  Eddyville  came  to  self-support,  and  the  Daven- 
port church  raised  $5,000  to  pay  debts  and  to  secure  a  fine 
property.  This  was  a  great  achievement.  Five  hundred 
dollars  of  this  amount  was  from  the  Congregational  Union, 
secured  by  the  bequest  of  Charles  Ward  of  Newton  Center, 
Massachusetts,  who  fell  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg. 

Two  valiant  soldiers  of  the  cross  this  year  laid  off  their 
armor — Ozro  French,  a  noble  missionary  at  home  and  in  the 
foreign  field,  died  at  Blairstown,  September  28;  and  Alfred 
Wright,  after  fifteen  years  of  service  in  Missouri  and  nineteen 
years  in  Iowa,  died  November  18,  and  sleeps  beneath  a  vener- 
able oak  in  the  old  churchyard  at  Durango. 


Chapter  IX 
ALONG  THE  RAILROAD  LINES,  1866-1869 

From  the  beginning  the  Pilgrims  of  Iowa,  with  some  poetic 
license,  could  take  up  the  song  of  Whittier's  "Kansas  Emi- 
grants" : 

We  cross  the  prairie  as  of  old 

The  Pilgrims  crossed  the  sea, 
To  make  the  West  as  they  the  East 
The  homestead  of  the  free 


We  go  to  plant  her  common  schools 
On  distant  prairie  swells, 

And  give  the  Sabbath  of  the  wild 
The  music  of  her  bells. 


Our  Pilgrims  came  to  Iowa  with  the  high  purpose  of  the  Pil- 
grim fathers  in  their  hearts,  but  until  about  the  sixties  "com- 
mon schools"  and  "Sabbath  bells"  on  "distant  prairie  swells" 
were  out  of  the  question,  for  the  open  prairies  were  not  con- 
sidered, as  indeed  they  were  not  then,  fit  places  of  abode. 
In  early  times  an  exploring  party  from  Burlington  gave  it 
as  their  opinion  that  the  prairie  about  Danville  would  never 
be  settled!  Passing  on  further  out  they  found  streams 
running  toward  the  West  and  concluded  that  they  had  struck 
the  waters  of  the  Missouri!  Much  later  Father  Turner  said, 
"Probably  western  Iowa  will  never  amount  to  much.  They 
say  the  timber  gives  out  a  little  beyond  Oskaloosa." 

From  the  beginning,  in  1833,  up  to  1856,  the  settlements 
were  along  the  streams  which  afforded  wood  and  water  and 
shelter  from  the  fierce  Northwesters  of  the  winter.  Wood, 
water  and  windbrakes  located  the  population  of  early  Iowa; 

176 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD   LINES,    1866-1869     177 

but  in  1856  the  railroads,  beginning  to  push  across  the  state, 
began  to  determine  the  location  of  the  new  settlements,  and 
a  good  many  other  things,  and  to  shift  settlements  already 
started;  and  from  1856  until  now,  the  railroads  have  largely 
determined  the  locations  of  our  churches. 

It  hardly  need  be  said  that  the  war  pretty  effectually  put  a 
stop  to  railroad  building.  The  Chicago,  Burlington  and 
Quincy  halted  for  a  time  at  Ottumwa,  but  reached  Albia 
in  1865.  In  1865  the  Rock  Island  got  as  far  west  as  Kellogg. 
The  Northwestern  during  the  war  time  wormed  itself  along 
from  Marshalltown  to  Boone.  The  Illinois  Central  for  a 
time  rested  from  its  extensions  at  Cedar  Falls,  but  in  the 
fall  of  1865  was  at  Ackley. 

Now,  in  1866,  the  Burlington,  the  Rock  Island  and  the 
Northwestern  were  making  all  possible  speed  to  reach  the 
Missouri.  Churches  were  springing  up  along  all  the  lines 
and  the  regions  contiguous,  the  churches,  for  the  most  part, 
keeping  a  little  in  advance.  It  need  not  be  said  that  the 
roads  were  friendly  to  the  church  planting  and  church  build- 
ing enterprises.  The  following  is  in  a  letter  from  a  Superin- 
tendent of  Home  Missions: 

One  at  least  of  our  railroads  seems  to  be  a  sort  of  auxiliary  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society.  Not  only  do  its  directors  accord  to  our  missionaries 
the  privilege  of  riding  at  half-fare,  but  its  depot  buildings  along  the  whole 
line  are  used,  or  have  been,  as  places  for  holding  religious  services  on  the 
Sabbath.  The  road  referred  to  is  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Railroad 
(the  early  name  for  the  Rock  Island).  I  preached  a  few  weeks  ago  to  a 
crowded  audience  in  the  passenger  room  in  the  depot  at  West  Liberty 
with  a  flour  barrel  surmounted  by  a  cheese-box  for  a  pulpit. 

This  was  nothing  exceptional.  Literally  hundreds  of  depots 
in  Iowa  have  been  used  for  religious  services. 

Reuben  Gaylord,  who  had  Western  Iowa  as  a  part  of  his 
home  missionary  bishopric,  returning  to  Council  Bluffs  after 
a  tour  of  exploration  up  the  Boyer  Valley  in  anticipation  of 
the  Northwestern  Road,  wrote: 

13 


178  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

The  Union  Pacific  Railway  is  now  built  two  hundred  and  sixty  miles 
and  will  get  half  way  to  the  mountains  before  winter.  The  Northwestern 
is  completed  to  Dennison,  and  will  reach  this  place  by  spring.  The  track 
is  begun  on  the  Council  Bluffs  and  St.  Joseph  Road,  and  will  be  finished 
in  twelve  months.  Mr.  Phelps,  who  is  the  head  man  of  this  road,  offers  to 
head  a  subscription  paper  with  one  hundred  dollars  for  the  support  of 
Rev.  F.  M.  Piatt,  for  six  months,  to  labor  in  a  field  along  the  line  of  the 
road  in  the  Missouri  Bottom.  He  also  offers  a  lot  in  Bartlett,  and  five 
hundred  dollars  toward  the  building  of  a  church,  providing  that  one  thou- 
sand dollars  more  can  be  raised. 

As  here  predicted  the  Northwestern  did  reach  the  Bluffs 
in  the  spring  of  1867;  the  "Q"  was  only  a  few  months  behind, 
and  the  Rock  Island  arrived  in  1869.  The  speed  of  these 
three  roads  "on  the  home  stretch"  is  accounted  for  by  the 
fact  that  the  Union  Pacific  and  the  Central  Pacific  had  effected 
a  junction,  thus  forming  a  through  line  to  the  coast,  and  each 
road  was  anxious  to  secure  its  share  of  the  western  traffic. 

Writing  about  this  time  from  Council  Bluffs,  Julius  A. 
Reed  says:  "One  railroad  has  reached  the  Missouri;  a  second 
will  reach  it  in  a  few  weeks;  a  third  and  a  fourth  within  a 
few  months,  and  possibly  within  five  years  a  sixth  and  a  sev- 
enth, all,  in  connection  with  the  Union  Pacific  competing  for 
the  trade  of  China  and  Japan.  We  have  already  one  thousand, 
five  hundred  miles  of  railroad  in  operation,  and  it  is  cer- 
tain that  in  ten  years,  all  parts  of  Iowa  will  have  easy  access 
to  markets  and  our  largest  prairies  will  be  sought  for  culti- 
vation." Mr.  Reed  had  at  last  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  prairies  of  Iowa  will  be  inhabited. 

Father  Hurlbut  of  Ft.  Atkinson  writes:  "As  I  sit  in  my 
study,  morning,  noon,  and  evening,  I  listen  to  the  whistle 
of  the  cars  as  they  bear  their  heavy  burdens  from  the  Father 
of  Waters  to  Calmar,  five  miles  from  us,  and  to  Conover, 
eight  miles  away,  and  the  present  terminus  of  the  road.  The 
sound  of  that  whistle  is  a  most  welcome  and  cheering  sound, 
not  because  it  quickens  the  zeal  of  some  active  financier  and 
promotes   the   interest    of    commerce    merely,    but    because, 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD   LINES,    1866-1869     179 

with  all  its  faults,  it  bears  along  to  us  a  sanctified  civilization. 
Am  I  weak  because  my  ear,  so  often  saluted  with  profane 
oaths  and  blasphemies,  is  delighted  with  that  whistle?  The 
old  rubbish  is  passing  away,  and  new  and  better  materials 
are  coming  in." 

The  new  churches  of  1866  were  as  follows:  Boonesboro,  Big 
Rock,  Rome,  Clinton,  New  York,  Belle  Plaine,  Nashua, 
Webster  and  New  Jefferson.  This  was  the  Jefferson  of  Greene 
County  then  called  New  Jefferson  by  our  people  because  they 
had  a  Jefferson  church  in  Jefferson  County.  Clinton  is  in 
a  special  way  a  creation  of  the  Northwestern  road.  Leaving 
Lyons  in  the  lurch  by  crossing  the  river  three  miles  below,  a 
division  station  was  estabhshed  there,  around  which  has  gath- 
ered a  city  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants.  Belle  Plaine  has 
been  a  "Railroad  town"  from  the  beginning,  and  the  church 
has  been  largely  composed  of  the  families  of  "railroad  men." 

Boonesboro  church  began  to  be  because  the  Northwestern 
was  passing  by.  Previous  to  the  organization.  Superinten- 
dent Guernsey  had  prospected  the  field.  He  inquired  of  every 
man  he  met  whether  there  were  any  Congregationalists  in 
the  place.  He  might  as  well  have  spoken  in  an  unknown 
tongue.  They  did  not  know  what  a  Congregationalist  might 
be;  never  heard  of  such  a  thing.  One  man  thought  there 
was  such  a  congregation  in  town  but  it  turned  out  to  be  a 
band  of  "seceders."  At  last  a  Congregationalist  was  found. 
He  had  come  from  Massachusetts  by  way  of  San  Francisco. 
Sunday  morning  he  went  through  the  streets  crying  out  at 
the  top  of  his  voice:  "Congregational  preaching  at  the  Meth- 
odist church  today  at  eleven  o'clock."  The  people  turned 
out  in  large  numbers  and  soon  a  church  was  founded.  Rev. 
O.  C.  Dickerson  was  for  many  years  the  pastor. 

The  Nashua  church  was  started  by  the  Bradford  pastor, 
though  this  was  the  death  knell  of  the  Bradford  church, 
five  of  the  eight  charter  members  coming  from  Bradford, 
because  the  Illinois  Central  was  headed  up  the  Cedar,  and 


180  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Nashua,  at  the  crossing  of  the  river,  was  sure  to  be  a  station 
on  the  road. 

The  Iowa  News  Letter  reported  a  church  organized  at 
Iowa  City  this  year,  July  31,  with  eighty  members,  fifty-five 
of  these  coming,  with  their  pastor.  Rev.  J.  A.  D.  Hebard, 
from  the  New  School  Presbyterian  church,  and  twenty  from 
the  defunct  Congregational  church  of  the  place;  but  Doctor 
Bullock,  pastor  of  the  church  for  eleven  years,  contends  that 
the  Congregational  church  was  not  defunct,  and  that  the 
reorganization  in  1866  did  not  disturb  the  "historic  conti- 
nuity" of  the  church,  and  that  the  proper  date  of  the  organi- 
zation is  that  recorded  in  our  Minutes,  November  26,  1856. 
The  reorganization  was  recognized  by  a  council.  Doctor  Coch- 
ran of  Grinnell,  moderator,  and  Doctor  Magoun  of  the  college 
preaching  the  sermon. 

The  dedications  this  year,  1866,  were  numerous,  and  they 
were  mostly  along  the  railroad  lines.  Rockford  dedicated 
June  21,  a  building  costing  about  two  thousand  dollars. 
Superintendent  Guernsey  preaching  the  sermon.  Iowa  Falls 
dedicated  a  fine  stone  building  August  16,  Mr.  Guernsey 
assisting  at  this  service  also.  This  old  building  forms  a  part 
of  the  present  structure.  October  7,  Ames  dedicated;  and  J.  B. 
Grinnell  was  present  and  made  a  donation  of  twenty-five  dollars 
to  help  pay  last  bills;  and  the  last  bills  were  paid.  Tipton 
dedicated  December  9,  a  four  thousand  dollar  building,  Doctor 
Roy  of  Chicago  preaching  the  sermon.  December  19, 
Monona  dedicated.  Rev.  S.  P.  Sloan  of  McGregor  preaching 
the  sermon.  The  building  is  34  x  50,  and  the  cost  $3,200. 
December  23,  Earlville  dedicated,  Superintendent  Guernsey 
ofliciating,  the  cost  of  the  building,  two  thousand  dollars. 

There  were  dedications  this  year,  also,  at  Ft.  Atkinson, 
Father  Joseph  Hurlbut  pastor,  and  at  the  Dubuque  German 
church.  The  building  at  Grinnell  was  enlarged  for  the  third 
time,  its  measurements  now  being  50  x  90;  and  the  church 
membership  had  gone  beyond  the  three  hundred  mark. 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD  LINES,    1866-1869     181 

This  year  parsonages  began  to  appear,  one  at  Otho,  a  com- 
fortable house,  with  a  five-acre  lot,  doing  good  service  up  to 
this  day;  and  another  at  Newton,  long  ago  superseded  by 
a  better  building. 

Davenport,  Oskaloosa  and  Ottumwa  churches  this  year 
assumed  self-support ;  Father  Windsor  left  a  ten  years'  service 
at  New  Oregon  to  take  up  the  pastorate  at  Keosauqua;  and 
E.  B.  Turner,  of  the  Band,  began  a  notable  service  of  eleven 
years  in  Missouri  as  Superintendent  of  Home  Missions,  in 
which  time  of  reconstruction,  the  two  churches  of  the  state 
were  increased  to  more  than  sixty. 

This  year  also  marked  the  development  of  Tabor  Academy 
into  Tabor  College.  The  Academy  began  in  1857  with  seven- 
teen students.  Three  times  during  the  war,  every  member 
of  the  school  liable  to  military  duty  enlisted,  and  some  of  the 
advanced  classes  were  broken  up,  but  the  school  was  never 
closed  and  soon  the  enrollment  was  fifty,  sixty,  and  a  hundred. 
The  number  of  those  who  have  been  Tabor  students  now  runs 
up  into  the  thousands.  President  Brooks  presided  over  this 
institution  from  its  beginning  in  1857  until  1896.  In  his 
day  twenty-four  graduates  of  the  college  became  ministers 
and  nine  found  their  life-work  in  foreign  mission^ary  fields 
while  hundreds  of  lives  have  been  enriched  and  enlarged  by  the 
influences  of  this  institution.  Rev.  O.  C.  Cooley  of  Glenwood 
testifies:  'T  think  Tabor  College  is  as  much  needed  in  the 
Missouri  Valley  for  Christ  and  his  church  as  Amherst  and  Wil- 
liams are  in  Massachusetts,  Yale  for  Connecticut  or  Grinnell 
for  eastern  and  middle  Iowa.  The  valley  is  a  separate  land; 
Tabor  is  two  hundred  miles  from  Grinnell,  and  of  the  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  students  in  the  institution  perhaps 
not  five  would  reach  any  other.  It  is  needed  now,  and  how 
much  more  hereafter.  Railroads  are  stimulating  immigration 
and  now  is  the  time  to  give  this  whole  region  a  permanent 
civilization  and  the  institutions  of  religion." 

It  is  fitting  that  close  after  the  name  of  President  Brooks 


182  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

should  be  placed  that  of  Edwin  S.  Hill.  He  was  one  of  the 
seventeen  students  of  the  first  year  of  Tabor  Academy,  and 
was  still  there  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war.  Enlisting  in 
the  Fourth  Iowa  Infantry,  and  engaging  in  all  its  battles, 
this  swarthy,  wiry  youth  came  up  from  the  trenches  of  Vicks- 
burg  and  from  other  grim  experiences  of  war,  to  enlist  in  a 
longer  and  more  strenuous  campaign,  staying  by  the  guns 
at  'Atlantic  (incorporating  Grove  City)  for  forty  years, 
one  of  the  most  brilliant  soldiers  that  ever  battled  for  hia 
country  and  for  the  kingdom  of  God.  In  this  his  only  pas- 
torate he  officiated  at  seven  hundred  and  fifty-nine  weddings 
and  about  two  thousand  funerals  and  left  the  church  with  a 
membership  of  three  hundred  and  three. 

Of  the  thousands  of  splendid  laymen  of  Congregational 
Iowa,  only  a  few  names  can  appear  in  this  volume.  Let  a 
little  paragraph  help  perpetuate  the  memory  of  Deacon 
Samuel  Cotton,  a  descendant  of  John  Cotton,  the  first  pastor 
of  the  first  church  in  Boston,  His  father  Roland  Cotton, 
was  the  lad  who  brought  the  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington 
to  Israel  Putnam,  who  at  once  donned  the  regimentals  worn 
by  him  in  the  French  war,  mounted  his  horse  and  started  for 
Boston. 

Mr.  Cotton  came  to  Iowa  in  1839.  The  first  year  out  in 
the  wilderness  of  Jackson  County  he  heard  only  one  sermon, 
and  that  by  a  traveling  Methodist  preacher.  As  soon  as  he 
was  settled  in  his  own  house  he  began  to  hold  Sabbath  services, 
which  at  length  grew  into  the  Andrew  or  Cottonville  Church, 
the  first  to  be  formed  north  of  the  Iowa  River.  He  was  one 
of  the  strong  men  of  the  early  Pilgrims  of  Iowa.  He  came 
to  the  end  of  his  useful  life,  September  23,  of  this  year,  1866. 

In  1867,  Superintendent  Guernsey  of  Northern  Iowa, 
reviewing  ten  years  of  his  work,  wrote: 

Instead  of  forty-two  Congregational  churches,  in  this  portion  of  our 
state,  ten  years  ago,  we  have  now,  eighty-eight.  Two  of  those  then  exist- 
ing were  then  self-supporting,  and  nine  of  the  present  number  are  so. 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD   LINES,    1866-1869     183 

There  were  then  sixteen  houses  of  worship.  There  are  now,  including 
four  in  progress  and  nearly  completed,  forty-seven.  Where  there  were 
thirty-six  miles  of  railroad  in  working  order,  there  are  now  over  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty,  of  which  over  one  hundred  have  been  built  during  the  last 
year.  The  extension  of  our  several  lines  of  railroad  year  by  year  will 
make  accessible  the  fine  unoccupied  lands  of  our  northwestern  border  and 
central  districts.  New  communities  will  spring  up;  new  villages  rise 
on  the  prairie  along  the  tracks  of  iron,  and  so  our  work,  with  the  passing 
of  the  years,  will  be  ever  growing  on  our  hands. 

This  year,  Rev.  G.  H.  Woodworth,  thus  reviewed  eleven 
years  of  labor  at  Toledo:  "When  I  reached  the  field  in  1856, 
there  was  here  only  an  apology  for  a  village,  and  only  three 
church  members.  Six  years  before,  there  were  only  eight 
inhabitants  in  the  country.  The  entire  frontier  was  a  waste; 
comfortable  dweUings  were  not  to  be  found;  eighty-seven 
members  have  been  added  in  the  eleven  years,  forty-eight  on 
confession  of  faith." 

The  churches  organized  this  year  were  Alden,  Belmond, 
Independence,  Hickory  Grove,  Cincinnati  and  Ft.  Atkin- 
son, German.  The  Alden  Church  came  into  existence  because 
the  Illinois  Central  passed  that  way,  and  because  Iowa  Falls 
was  near  at  hand,  and  because  Jesse  Rogers  and  his  family 
and  relatives  and  the  Spencers  and  Taylors  and  other  salt 
of  the  earth  were  there — a  salt  that  has  never  lost  its  savor. 

Belmond  Church  grew  out  of  a  union  Sunday  school  started 
in  1866,  in  which  Deacon  Boughton  and  Deacon  Hinman 
had  a  hand,  and  out  of  special  meetings  held  by  Rev.  Charles 
Harrison  of  Otisville.  Of  the  charter  members,  four  were 
Baptists,  four  Methodists,  one  United  Brethren,  one  Congre- 
gationahst,  and  three  united  on  confession.  Rev.  E.  C. 
Miles  suppUed  the  church  for  a  short  time,  and  then  came 
Father  Sands. 

June  23,  Garnavillo  dedicated  its  second  house  of  worship, 
built  at  a  cost  of  $3,600.  This  building  is  still  in  use.  The 
last  Sunday  of  the  same  month,  Buckingham  dedicated  a 
three  thousand  four  hundred  dollar  building,  Doctor  Magoun 


184  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

preaching  the  sermon.  About  one  half  the  money  for  the 
building  was  donated  by  Governor  Buckingham  of  Massachu- 
setts. An  "Advance  Premium  Bell,"  secured  by  one  hundred 
subscriptions  to  the  paper  of  that  name,  swings  in  the  tower. 
The  people  ascribed  all  honor  and  praise  first  to  the  Lord  and 
then  to  his  faithful  servant.  Rev.  Bennett  Roberts,  for  nearly  a 
decade  pastor  of  the  church.  In  December  Prairie  City 
dedicated,  "Doctor  Cochran  of  Grinnell  preaching  one  of  his 
massive  sermons,  a  perfect  broadside  against  sin  and  error." 
The  Osage  church  was  this  year  adorned  with  a  fine  Troy  bell, 
the  gift  of  Orrin  Sage  of  Ware,  Massachusetts.  That  bell  is 
swinging  yet  and  ringing  sweet  and  clear  as  when  it  first 
began  to  call  the  people  to  the  sanctuary. 

Who  of  our  Congregational  household  has  not  heard  of 
Rev.  John  Morley,  pastor  of  Winona,  Minnesota,  Superin- 
tendent of  Home  Missions  in  Minnesota,  President  of  Fargo 
College,  and  now  pastor  at  Springfield,  Vermont?  But  who 
knows  that,  coming  from  Andover,  he  was  ordained  at  Mag- 
nolia, January  2  of  this  year,  and  that  for  nearly  a  decade 
he  was  growing  into  strength  with  our  growing  church  at  Sioux 
City?  Henry  S.  DeForest,  too,  coming  this  year  from  a 
tutorship  in  Yale,  began  in  Iowa,  first  at  Des  Moines,  and  then 
at  Council  Bluffs  and  Waterloo  his  training  for  his  great 
life  work  at  Talladega.  He  took  with  him  to  this  Southland 
work,  Mary  Robbins  from  the  parsonage  at  Muscatine. 

Father  Taylor  of  Algona  was  installed!  "After  preaching 
here  eleven  years;  long  enough,"  he  says,  "for  a  fast  man  to 
run  out,  and  after  having  arrived  at  an  age  when  people  often 
think  a  minister,  like  an  old  horse,  should  be  turned  out  to 
grass,  the  church  extended  to  me  a  call  to  settle  as  their  pastor. 
The  action  is  quite  gratifying  to  me,  as  it  was  unsought  on 
my  part."  After  the  services  of  installation,  he  exclaimed, 
"I  am  so  happy;  don't  know  why;  I  am  afraid  that  I  am  too 
happy!" 

As  late  as  1867  the  brethren  in  their  resolutions  recorded 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD   LINES,   1866-1869     185 

their  "profound  sorrow  at  the  prospect  that  the  chief  insti- 
gator of  the  insurrection  will  escape  the  punishment  due  the 
eminence  of  his  treason,"  and  testify  their  "sense  of  outrage 
on  loyalty  and  freedom  by  the  indiscriminate  pardon  of  multi- 
tudes of  mischievous  and  unprincipled  rebels." 

The  Minutes  of  the  year  record  the  deaths  of  A.  D.  French, 
Simeon  Brown,  B.  A.  Spaulding,  L.  C.  Rouse  and  W.  W. 
Allen.  Mr.  Brown,  of  Old  School  Presbyterian  parentage 
and  training,  super-orthodox,  but  accused  of  heresy  by  the 
Miami  Presbytery,  united  with  the  Congregational  church 
in  Ohio.  He  came  to  Ottumwa  in  1864.  His  short  pastorate 
of  two  and  a  half  years  was  a  season  of  great  prosperity  in  the 
church.     He  died  February  16. 

The  narrative  of  Mr.  Spaulding's  life  of  toil  and  sacrifice 
has  been  already  recorded  in  considerable  fullness.  He  died 
at  Ottumwa,  March  31  of  this  year.  It  had  been  his  home  for 
almost  a  quarter  of  a  century.  For  more  than  twenty  years 
he  was  pastor  of  the  church.  He  was  the  second  of  the  Band 
to  be  called  to  the  higher  service.  His  life  was  austere  and 
strenuous.  He  was  faithful  in  the  extreme  and  unto  death. 
His  ministry  was  characterized  by  simplicity  and  devotion. 
He  was  free  from  Phariseeism  and  cant.  He  spoke  the  truth 
in  love,  and  was  patient  with  the  unbelieving.  His  life  was 
gentle,  unassuming,  and  unobtrusive.  In  humility  and  self- 
abasement  he  underrated  himself  and  the  value  of  his  ministra- 
tions ;  but  as  long  as  the  valley  of  the  Des  Moines  is  the  abode 
of  men,  his  work  will  remain. 

In  1868,  Congregational  Iowa,  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  its 
organization,  reported  one  hundred  and  eighty-three  churches 
with  a  membership  of  eight  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
seven-six. 

Denmark  church,  then  thirty  years  of  age,  had  a  membership 
of  two  hundred  and  nineteen.  At  the  beginning  of  the  year. 
Father  Turner  was  still  pastor,  but  before  the  year  closes, 
he  resigned,  and  moved  to  Oskaloosa,  and  was  substantially 


186  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

at  the  end  of  active  service.  Reuben  Gaylord  was  in  Nebraska 
but  he  was  still  touching  Iowa  effectively  upon  our  Western 
borders  in  connection  with  his  work  in  Nebraska.  Julius  A. 
Reed  was  still  Superintendent  of  southern  Iowa,  but  his  term 
of  service  was  drawing  near  its  close.  Oliver  Emerson  was 
still  ranging  through  eastern  Iowa  as  an  itinerant  Evangelist, 
just  as  he  had  been  doing  for  nearly  thirty  years,  and  just 
as  he  would  continue  to  do  for  some  years  to  come. 

About  this  time  he  writes:  "This  has  been  in  some  respects, 
the  most  satisfactory  year  of  my  life.  Nearly  every  sermon 
I  have  preached  has  been  at  a  time  and  place  where  the  people 
would  have  had  no  preacher  at  all,  but  for  my  presence.  To 
preach  to  the  destitute,  I  have  felt  to  be  my  vocation."  And 
a  little  later  he  says:  "During  the  quarter,  I  have  preached 
fifty-four  sermons  in  twelve  places,  and  taken  part  in  thirty- 
seven  other  meetings;  called  on  one  hundred  and  seventy 
famiUes,  and  traveled  over  nine  hundred  miles."  During 
the  year  he  traveled  over  three  thousand  miles,  he  of  the  club- 
foot, and  one  side  of  him  paralyzed  from  his  birth! 

Doctor  Holbrook  was  done  with  Iowa,  and  was  pastor  at 
Homer,  New  York.  Ephraim  Adams  was  at  Decorah; 
Harvey  Adams  at  New  Hampton;  Ebenezer  Alden  at  Marsh- 
field,  Massachusetts;  J.  J.  Hill  was  at  Grinnell,  agent  for  the 
American  Missionary  Association;  Daniel  Lane  was  at  Belle 
Plaine;  Alden  Robbins,  and  Wilham  Salter  were  stationary, 
and  E.  B.  Turner  was  helping  to  reconstruct  the  South  by 
planting  Congregational  churches  in  Missouri. 

As  for  the  rest  of  the  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  preachers 
of  the  state,  some  of  them  were  located  as  follows:  A.  A. 
Baker,  recently  arrived,  was  at  Manchester;  L.  W.  Brintnall 
was  at  Winthrop;  Harmon  Bross  of  Chicago  Seminary  was  at 
Ottumwa,  and  will  have  a  few  years  of  service  here  before 
he  begins  his  thirty  years  of  service  as  pastor,  general  mission- 
ary, and  Superintendent  of  Home  Missions  in  Nebraska. 
Simeon  Gilbert,  later  editor  of  the  Advance,  and  still  residing 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD   LINES,   1866-1869     187 

in  Chicago,  was  at  Ames,  and  writes:  "The  Agricultural 
College  will  undoubtedly  occupy  a  high  position  among  the 
educational  facilities  which  this  noble  state  is  preparing  to 
furnish  its  sons  and  daughters."  Jesse  Guernsey  was  still 
Superintendent  of  Home  Missions;  J.  A.  Hamilton  was  just 
beginning  at  Davenport;  W.F.Harvey,  pioneer  farmer  preacher, 
was  at  Webster  City,  and  all  about  the  region ;  Father  Taylor 
was  at  Algona,  of  course;  Father  Tenney  at  Plymouth,  as  he 
had  been  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century;  M.  Tingley  was  in 
the  eighth  year  of  his  pastorate  at  Sioux  City;  John  Todd  in 
his  sixteenth  year  at  Tabor;  J.  R.  Upton  at  Monona,  but 
getting  ready  to  start  for  Dickenson  County;  J.  S.  Antwerp 
in  his  eleventh  year  at  De  Witt;  Lyman  Whiting  at  Dubuque; 
Father  Windsor  at  Keosauqua;  and  Chauncy  D.  Wright  at 
Exira. 

James  D.  Mason  was  at  Mason  City.  He  began  there  in 
1864.  One  of  his  monuments  is  the  old  stone  church,  many 
of  the  stones  of  which  were  of  his  quairying  and  much  of  the 
mortar  of  his  mixing.  The  house  was  large  enough  at  the 
time  it  was  built  to  hold  the  whole  population  of  Cerro  Gordo 
County.  This  building  still  stands,  a  part  of  the  splendid 
new  structure  that  now  is.  While  here  Brother  Mason  did 
preliminary  work  at  Clear  Lake.  After  six  years  at  Mason 
City  he  labored  for  a  time  at  Rock  Falls  where  another  stone 
church  is  a  memorial  of  him.  Then  he  was  pastor  at  Nora 
Springs.  In  1876  he  began  his  first  pastorate  at  Forest  City, 
lasting  eight  years,  in  which  he  erected  another  monument, 
another  sanctuary,  the  first  for  English  speaking  people  in 
Winnebago  County.  In  connection  with  this  pastorate 
he  did  pioneer  work  at  Lake  Mills,  Garner,  Crystal  Lake  and 
Ellington,  often  preaching  three  times  on  Sunday  and  riding 
thirty  miles  between  services.  Later,  after  four  years  of 
service  at  Clear  Lake  and  four  at  Central  City,  he  returned  to 
Forest  City  for  a  second  pastorate  which  consumed  five  more 
years  of  his  life.     Then  came  a  year  of  service  at  Lakeside, 


188  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

two  at  Wesley,  two  again  at  Nora  Springs,  and  then  a  third 
call  to  Forest  City.  Then  he  thought  it  time  to  retire,  but, 
gathering  a  little  strength  he  supplied  a  little  time  in  Minne- 
sota, then  retired  again  for  old  age.  But  for  a  fourth  time 
Forest  City  laid  claim  to  his  services.  But  it  was  only  for  a 
brief  period,  then  came  the  end,  February  1,  1910.  His 
education  was  limited  but,  by  various  gifts,  natural  and  super- 
natural, he  was  well  qualified  for  his  high  calling.  He  was  a 
good  preacher,  a  pastor  preeminent,  and  a  "man  of  prayer." 
He  gave  Iowa  forty-six  years  of  heroic  service,  more  than  forty 
of  these  years  within  the  Mitchell  Association.  Humble, 
unknown  by  many  even  of  his  brethren  in  the  state,  his  life 
was  a  great  force  for  the  building  of  the  kingdom  and  the 
making  of  the  commonwealth.  One  of  the  men  of  Iowa  to  be 
remembered  with  affection  and  gratitude  is  this  good  man, 
James  D.  Mason. 

This  year  there  came  a  young  man,  fresh  from  Chicago 
Seminary,  en  route  for  a  little  country  village  called  Osage 
up  in  Mitchell  County.  By  water  and  rail  and  stage  coach, 
via  McGregor  and  Adams,  Minnesota,  he  reached  his  destina- 
tion, May  15,  and  preached  his  first  sermon,  the  following 
Sunday,  May  17.  At  the  first  prayer  meeting,  he  exclaimed 
to  himself:  "Oh,  how  dreadful  is  this  place!"  He  prayed 
earnestly  that  he  might  be  delivered  from  a  call.  The  call 
came,  however,  though  faint  and  feeble,  but  the  young  man 
did  not  dare  refuse,  lest  this  might  be  the  "still  small  voice" 
of  the  Spirit.  Fourteen  years  he  served  the  church,  leaving 
a  membership  of  two  hundred  and  forty-six.  For  twenty- 
five  years  he  was  Secretary  of  the  Iowa  Congregational  Home 
Missionary  Society.  If  you  don't  know  the  name  of  this 
young  man,  ask  your  more  enhghtened  neighbor.  He  some- 
times writes  his  history  thus:  "Born  in  Illinois,  raised  in  Wis- 
consin, lived  in  Iowa." 

Among  the  new  men  of  this  year  is  Hermann  Ficke.  The 
church  organized  among  the  Germans  of  Dubuque  in  1847  had 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD   LINES,   1866-1869     189 

been  switched  over  to  the  Presbyterians  by  a  minister  who  did 
not  consider  the  Congregational  people  sound  enough  in  doc- 
trine for  the  German  people  to  associate  with.  Mr.  Ficke 
finds  here  nothing  but  plenty  of  raw  material.  He  must 
build  from  the  ground  up.  He  began  to  build  in  1868,  and  he 
is  at  it  yet,  the  only  man  of  our  fellowship  in  active  service 
where  he  began  forty  years  ago.  How  well  he  has  builded,  his 
monuments  will  testify :  Church  building  and  parsonage  valued 
at  $20,000;  a  membership  of  two  hundred,  and  a  Sunday  school 
of  four  hundred;  probably  the  most  important  German  Congre- 
gational plant  in  America.  And,  better  than  this,  his  neighbors 
say:  "No  man  that  ever  lived  in  Dubuque  has  done  so  much 
for  the  young  men  of  the  city  as  Hermann  Ficke.  Find  here 
a  prosperous  and  trusty  young  man  and  you  are  pretty  sure  to 
find  Hermann  Ficke  somewhere  in  the  process  of  his  mak- 
ing." All  honor  to  this  prince  of  our  German  helpers,  Her- 
mann Ficke!* 

The  new  churches  of  the  year  were  Eldora,  Kellogg,  Grand 
River,  Immanuel  of  Dubuque,  Jasper  City,  Manson,  Marshall- 
town,  Wentworth  now  Mclntire  and  a  German  church  at 
Quasqueton. 

The  dedications  of  the  year  are  as  follows:  Charles  City, 
January  28,  Doctor  Whiting  of  Dubuque  preaching  the  sermon; 
the  cost  of  the  building,  $7,000.  It  was  a  red  letter  day  for 
Brother  Brodwell  and  his  people.  This  same  building,  three 
times  remodeled,  was  demolished  a  few  months  ago  to  make 
room  for  the  splendid  new  edifice  that  is  about  to  be.  Coupled 
with  the  dedication,  was  a  grateful  farewell  to  the  Home 
Missionary  Society,  which  had  been  a  foster  mother  to  the 
church  all  the  days  of  its  life,  until  now. 

Wittemberg  also  dedicated  a  three  thousand  five  hundred  dol- 
lar building,  had  accessions  of  over  fifty  to  membership,  and 
came  to  self-support.  Cresco  rededicated  the  old  building 
brought  over  from  New  Oregon  and  made  new.     Franklin 

♦Mr.  Ficke  died  June  4th,  1911. 


190  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

dedicated.  Independence  completed  the  six  thousand  dollar 
building  now  in  use.  Father  Taylor  and  his  Algona  people 
after  twelve  years  of  waiting,  now  have  a  comfortable  sanc- 
tuary with  a  real  pulpit  and  a  bell!  But  this  was  not  a  new 
building;  that  would  be  too  much  of  a  luxury.  It  was  the  old 
hall  built  by  a  stock  company  in  1856  and  used  for  all  sorts 
of  public  gatherings,  dances,  debates,  lectures,  sociables, 
religious  services  and  everything.  It  had  already  become 
historic.  In  the  spring  of  1857  this  building  formed  a  part  of 
the  stockade  to  protect  the  citizens  from  the  expected  attacks 
of  the  Indians.  Here  on  the  day  of  Lincoln's  second  inaugu- 
ration a  flag  was  presented  by  the  State  in  recognition  of  the  fact 
that  Kossuth  County  had  done  more  for  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  of  the  army  than  any  other  county.  Here  the  first 
county  fair  was  held,  and  here,  in  1862  a  company  was  enlisted 
to  repel  the  attack  of  the  Indians  after  the  New  Ulm  massacre. 
Here  in  1864,  the  first  county  teachers'  institute  was  held, 
Father  Taylor  conducting  it.  Here  Father  Taylor  began 
holding  services  in  May  of  1857,  and  here  he  preached  for 
seventeen  years.  Here  the  village  school  was  held  for  several 
years.  In  this  building  in  1867  under  Father  Taylor's  direc- 
tion, beginnings  of  the  Northwestern  University  were  made, 
and  here  the  Library  Association  was  started.  In  1867  the  stock 
was  purchased  by  members  of  the  Congregational  church, 
and  now,  moved  to  a  new  site  and  remodeled.  In  September 
of  1868  the  building  was  dedicated,  and  the  church,  after  so 
long  a  time,  had  "a  local  habitation  and  a  name." 

This  is  the  twenty-fifth  year  of  the  Band,  and  "silver  wed- 
ings"  are  the  order  of  the  day.  They  all  indulge  in  retrospect. 
Daniel  Lane  testifies:  "We  have  never  regretted  our  choice 
of  a  field.  We  have  rejoiced  in  it  from  the  begirming."  He 
thus  states  what  to  him  was  marvelous:  "The  traveler  who 
passes  through  Iowa  on  the  great  railway  (the  Northwestern)  is 
scarcely  out  of  sight  of  a  white  man's  home  the  whole  distance 
from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Missouri.     The  whistle  of  the 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD  LINES,   1866-1869     191 

engine  is  almost  constantly  notifying  him  of  some  city  or 
village  or  hamlet  or  station  of  one  or  two  houses  just  erected, 
which,  in  one  year's  time,  will  be  the  center  of  a  new  town  of 
four  or  five  hundred  inhabitants.  Passing  over  this  road  last 
June,  I  could  scarce  believe  what  my  own  eyes  saw — so  rapid 
had  been  the  improvement  and  settlement  of  the  country," 

At  the  beginning  of  1869,  only  Reed  and  Emerson  of  the 
patriarchs  remained  in  active  service  in  Iowa;  and  now  Mr. 
Reed  dropped  out,  leaving  the  half  dead  man  with  the  foot 
of  Byron  and  the  heart  of  the  apostle  Paul  the  most  alive  of 
any  of  them,  alone  in  the  field.  Of  course  Mr.  Reed  indulges 
in  retrospect,  and  writes:  "When  I  entered  upon  this  agency 
in  1845,  we  had  in  Iowa  twenty-five  churches  with  six  hundred 
members,  and  twenty-three  ministers,  and  nine  churches  had 
houses  of  worship.  Last  year  we  had  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
three  churches,  with  eight  thousand,  seven  hundred  and 
seventy-five  members  and  one  hundred  and  thirty-nine  minis- 
ters. In  1845,  the  western  limits  of  the  white  settlement 
was  a  north  and  south  line  passing  through  Red  Rock  in 
Marion  County,  some  distance  east  of  the  center  of  the  state. 
West  of  this  line,  Indians  were  the  only  inhabitants,  and  elk 
and  buffalo  roamed  at  their  pleasure,  while  east  of  that  line, 
whole  counties  were  substantially  wild  and  unknown.  Ottum- 
wa,  Oskaloosa,  and  Newi:on  were  mere  clusters  of  log  cabins; 
no  town  in  the  territory  could  boast  of  four  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, and  Davenport  had  less  than  one  thousand.  The 
population  of  the  territory  was  less  than  one  hundred  thousand. 
In  thirty-six  years,  our  population  has  increased  from  nothing 
to  one  million,  and  will  probably,  at  the  close  of  this  century 
amount  to  three  milhons." 

This  prophecy  overshot  the  mark  only  fifty  thousand  but 
no  prophet,  however  much  inspired,  could  have  foreseen 
the  land  craze  of  our  people,  making  Iowa  too  small  for  them, 
and  thinning  out  the  population. 

Probably  no  man  for  the  first  quarter  of  a  century  of  our  his- 


192  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

tory  had  more  to  do  with  the  developments  of  Congregational- 
ism in  Iowa  than  did  Julius  A.  Reed.  Retiring  now  from 
active  service,  he  spent  a  few  years  in  business  in  Nebraska,  but 
returned  to  Iowa  to  spend  his  declining  years  with  his  daughter, 
Mrs.  S.  F.  Smith,  at  Davenport,  and  to  be  to  the  end  a  positive 
force  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  churches,  the  academy  and 
college  which  he  helped  to  found,  and  which  he  loved  with 
all  his  heart.  He  left  a  bequest  of  ten  thousand  dollars  to 
Denmark  Academy.  "The  workmen  die,  but  the  work  goes 
on." 

His  place  was  filled  by  Joseph  Pickett  of  Mount  Pleasant. 
He  brought  to  the  work  unbounded  enthusiasm  and  the  spirit 
of  devotion  and  self-sacrifice.  His  place  was  mostly  in  the 
field  and  not  in  the  office.  For  nine  years  he  served  and  then 
passed  on  to  the  Rocky  Mountain  district,  soon  coming  to  a 
tragic  death  by  the  overturning  of  a  stagecoach.  You  may 
read  the  story  of  his  life  in  a  httle  book  written  by  Dr.  William 
Salter. 

We  have  had  an  introduction  to  Edwin  S.  Hill  of  Grove 
City.  The  following  communication  from  him  will  show 
how  the  railroads  dictate  and  dominate,  and  how  their  select 
stations  grow: 

My  commission  last  year,  was  for  Grove  City,  but  Atlantic,  on  the 
Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific,  three  miles  from  Grove  City,  having 
drawn  a  principal  part  of  the  people,  and  all  the  business,  it  seemed  best 
to  make  Atlantic  the  center  of  labor. 

A  church  of  eight  members  was  organized  in  April;  it  now  numbers 
fifteen.  We  have  in  course  of  erection  a  house  of  worship  32  x  46.  We 
have  a  population  of  about  twelve  hundred.  Nine  months  ago  the  prairie 
where  Atlantic  now  stands  was  unbroken.  The  first  house  was  built  in 
September.  Now  there  are  over  two  hundred  houses.  For  the  last  five 
months,  the  growth  of  the  place  has  averaged  more  than  a  house  per  day, 
and  the  work  is  going  on  now  faster  than  ever  before. 

Here  perhaps  as  appropriately  as  anywhere,  may  come  in 
the  story  of  Father  Sands,  for  1869  was  the  beginning  of  his 
great  bishopric  in  Wright  and  Hancock  counties.     What  had 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD   LINES,   1866-1869     193 

gone  before  was  in  preparation  for  this  great  work.  He  was 
born  at  Norfolk,  England,  February  8,  1815,  just  four  months 
before  the  battle  of  Waterloo.  In  1835,  as  a  soldier  of  her 
Britannic  Majesty,  he  was  in  Canada  helping  to  quell  the 
"Papineau  rebellion."  Four  years  later,  purchasing  his 
release  from  the  army,  he  took  a  three  years'  course  in 
a  Canadian  academy,  and  graduated  from  Yale  Divinity  School 
in  1849,  and  for  nine  years  was  pastor  at  Essex,  Vermont. 

"From  1848  to  1855,"  he  says,  "I  attended  the  meetings 
of  the  American  Board.  At  these  meetings  I  met  Julius  A. 
Reed  who  talked  little  else  but  Iowa,  Iowa.  I  was  just  the 
man  for  Iowa."  The  Iowa  Agent  got  his  man.  He  reached 
Davenport  early  in  June,  being  entertained  there  by  Doctor 
Magoun,  and  later  in  the  month  he  began  a  ten  years'  pastorate 
at  Keosauqua.  Two  years  and  more  of  this  time,  however, 
he  was  at  the  front,  chaplain  of  the  Nineteeth  Iowa  Regiment. 

After  short  terms  of  service  at  Quincy  of  this  state  and 
Wataga,  Illinois,  he  found  his  proper  place  and  work  as 
"bishop  of  Wright  and  Hancock  counties."  His  welcome, 
January  27,  1869,  was  a  "howhng  bhzzard."  Belmond  was 
a  village  of  ten  dwellings,  a  store,  blacksmith  shop,  a  grist 
and  a  saw  mill.  The  people  promised  nothing.  "Sorry, 
but  we  can't  raise  you  any  money."  "But  I  have  come  to 
stay,"  was  his  reply,  and  stay  he  did  for  more  than  forty  years. 

And  this  for  years  was  his  program:  Sunday  morning 
at  Belmond;  Sunday  afternoon,  say,  where  Clarion  now 
stands;  Sunday  evening  down  at  Eagle  Grove,  called  Eagle 
Grove  because  there  is  neither  grove  nor  eagle  there;  Monday 
night  at  the  French  settlement  near  Woolstock,  where  he 
preached  to  a  company  of  French  people  in  their  own  language; 
Tuesday  night  he  had  an  appointment;  Wednesday  night, 
Thursday  night,  Friday  night,  often-times  a  meeting  on  Sat- 
urday. The  next  week  was  the  same  program,  only  another 
set  of  places,  eighteen  or  twenty  visited  regularly,  and  he  was 
accustomed  to  say:  "I  don't  think  a  minister  can  be  real 

14 


194  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

healthy  unless  he  preaches  at  least  once  every  day  and  three 
or  four  times  on  Sunday."  So  he  kept  it  up,  year  in  and  year 
out,  until  too  old  for  this  sort  of  service,  and  so  crippled  with 
rheumatism  that  he  could  no  longer  manage  the  ponies. 
Once  accosted  with  the  inquiry,  "Well,  Father  Sands,  where 
are  you  located  now?"  his  reply  was:  "Sir,  I'm  not  a  tramp, 
I'm  where  I  was."  Eighty-eight  years  of  age  still  found  him 
at  his  post.  For  years  he  could  not  stand  to  preach,  but  he 
would  hobble  up  into  his  pulpit  with  crutch  and  cane,  and 
sit  before  his  people,  a  veritable  apostle  John;  and  they  say 
his  last  days  of  preaching  were  his  best.  It  was  hard  for  him 
to  retire  even  in  old  age.  It  took  some  little  persuasion  and 
pressure  from  the  outside  to  bring  him  to  the  point.  The 
church  made  him  pastor  emeritus.  The  Home  Missionary 
Society  gladly  gave  him  a  pension  of  two  hundred  dollars. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-four,  Sunday,  March  7,  1909. 
It  is  said  that  forty-two  churches  of  various  denominational 
names  have  sprung  up  in  that  man's  footsteps.  His  salary 
never  exceeded  four  hundred  dollars.  "There  was  a  man  sent 
from  God  whose  name  was  John" — John  D.  Sands,  a  typical 
home  missionary. 

The  new  churches  of  1869  were  Golden  Prairie,  Ogden, 
Altantic  and  Parkersburg. 

Green  Mountain  dedicated  a  house  of  worship  and  Bucking- 
ham came  to  self-support. 

Illustrations  of  what  the  railroads  were  doing  for  the  state 
in  these  busy  years  are  abundant.  Here  is  one.  Rev.  S.  B. 
Goodenow  of  Jefferson  writes:  "We  here  see  towns  and  cities 
growing  up  as  if  by  magic.  If  a  nation  is  not  literally  born  in 
a  day,  a  city  often  seems  almost  to  be  built  in  a  night.  It  has 
been  so  at  Grand  Junction.  Last  summer  I  heard  the  rumor 
of  the  coming  railroad  (the  Des  Moines  Valley  Road)  which 
was  to  cross  our  great  Northwestern  only  seven  miles  from  the 
county  seat.  With  interest  I  noted  the  prophecies  of  a  great 
town  to  spring  up  there.     In  August  last  I  went  upon  the 


ALONG   THE   RAILROAD   LINES,    1866-1869     195 

designated  ground,  out  upon  the  wide,  uninhabited  prairie,  to 
see  if  I  could  find  any  stakes  driven,  where  a  railroad  or  settle- 
ment was  to  be.  Amid  the  tall  grass  of  the  swales  and  glades 
I  sauntered  out  of  sight  of  land,  that  is,  with  no  sign  of  human 
existence,  no  building,  no  fence,  no  shrub,  no  pathway  to  be 
seen  in  any  direction — save  one  broad,  rolling  sea  of  untamed 
verdure.  I  found  at  last  the  little  pine  sticks  driven  down 
in  a  long  vanishing  line,  which  told  where  the  commerce  of 
distant  regions  was  soon  to  roll  along  its  iron  way;  where  in  a 
few  weeks,  the  bustle  of  business  should  hum  through  numer- 
ous streets.  I  could  not  see  it  then,  but  I  see  it  now.  Three 
months  later  I  found  a  thriving  town,  streets  all  laid  out, 
many  stores  occupied  and  driving  a  flourishing  business, 
two  fine  hotels  built  and  guests  in  plenty,  a  great  number 
of  dwelHng-houses  full  of  people,  a  great  round-house  of  brick 
finished  and  occupied,  a  bank  in  process  of  erection,  and  num- 
erous other  signs  of  progress.  The  old  settlers  were  already 
beginning  to  put  on  an  air  before  the  new-comers;  and  I,  who 
three  months  before  had  roved  those  untrodden  slopes,  seemed 
to  the  citizens  as  one  of  the  aborigines  of  the  realm  left  over 
from  primeval  times." 

We  have  the  following  from  the  report  of  Superintendent 
Guernsey: 

I  have  this  quarter  travelled  not  less  than  three  thousand  miles;  visited 
twenty-eight  mission  fields;  attended  four  associational  meetings  and 
two  councils;  assisted  in  the  dedication  of  one  church;  preached  twelve 
times  and  made  many  other  addresses.  I  had  not  seen  the  Northwest 
portion  of  our  state  since  1860.  Then  it  took  me  two  weeks  to  reach  it. 
Now  I  went  in  twenty-four  hours.  Two  new  railroads  will  cross  the  new 
counties  of  that  region  before  the  close  of  1870.  In  anticipation  of  them 
people  are  pouring  in.  All  along  and  near  their  surveyed  Hues  towns  and 
cities  are  being  staked  off  on  the  prairies  and  very  soon  will  cease  to  be 
"paper  cities"  merely.  A  field  promising  a  richer  harvest  it  would  be 
difficult  to  find  than  that  which  the  next  few  months  are  to  open  in  North- 
western Iowa. 

This  year  records  the  death  of  Aratus  Kent.  He  was  the 
first  of  the  Prospectors.     He  was  born  in  Suffield,  Connecticut, 


196  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

January  15,  1794;  graduated  from  Yale  in  1816,  and  studied 
theology  at  Union  and  Princeton.  He  began  his  missionary 
work  at  Galena  in  April,  1829.  He  visited  Fort  Dearborn  in 
1833.  There  were  no  roads  or  bridges  and  only  one  settle- 
ment between  the  two  villages.  He  became  Home  Missionary 
Superintendent  of  Northern  lUinois  in  1848.  Some  years 
before  he  retired  he  had  the  record  of  having  preached  two 
thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-nine  sermons  in  four  hundred 
and  seventy-seven  different  places.  He  died  November 
8,  1869.  He  was  a  Presbyterian  all  his  days,  but  he  was 
supported  largely  by  Congregational  money,  and  he  is  a  part 
of  our  Congregational  heritage  and  history. 


Chapter  X 
UP  IN  THE  SIOUX  COUNTRY,  1870-1879 

When,  in  1833,  our  Pilgrims  began  to  arrive,  this  North- 
western Iowa  was  the  land  of  the  "Bloody  Sioux."  Memo- 
rials of  them  still  remain  in  such  names  as,  the  Little  Sioux, 
the  Big  Sioux,  River  Sioux,  Sioux  County,  Sioux  City,  Sioux 
Rapids,  Okoboji,  Spirit  Lake,  and  in  the  monument  marking 
the  Spirit  Lake  massacre  in  1857.  The  number  of  the  victims 
of  that  awful  tragedy  was  forty-two. 

As  we  have  seen,  in  1859  Father  Taylor,  supposed  to  have 
been  the  most  sanely  far-sighted  man  of  the  region,  at  an 
Associational  gathering  at  Webster  City,  said,  "There  never 
will  be  anything  to  the  northwest  of  us  here  but  Indians  and 
grasshoppers";  and  he,  and  his  associates  placed  the  North- 
western Association  down  in  the  heart  of  the  state.  There 
was  good  reason  for  this  view  of  the  future  for,  at  that  time, 
as  to  civilized  life.  Northwestern  Iowa  was  an  unbroken 
solitude;  and  in  the  regions  still  west,  there  was  no  Dakota, 
not  much  Nebraska,  and  but  little  Kansas.  The  first  rail- 
road was  struggling  westward  from  Iowa  City;  the  old  stage 
coach  was  king;  streams,  in  large  portions  of  the  state,  were 
bridgeless,  and  the  roads  of  the  sort  not  made  by  hands. 

Now,  in  the  70s,  to  which  time  we  have  come,  Father 
Taylor  was  found  to  be  a  false  prophet,  for  Father  Upton  was 
up  there  in  Dickinson  County,  on  the  northern  borders,  and 
only  fifty  miles  east  of  the  Big  Sioux;  and  in  the  decade  churches 
were  planted  at  Cherokee,  Lakeville,  Humboldt,  Le  Mars, 
Grant,  Newell,  Spencer,  Sheldon,  Spirit  Lake,  Emmetsburg, 
Clarion,  Sibley,  Sioux  Rapids,  Greenwood  Center,  Rock  Rapids, 
etc.;   and  it  became  evident  that  the  whole  of  Iowa  even 

197 


198  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

its  treeless  prairies,  of  which  there  were  whole  counties  was 
to   be  inhabited  by  white  people. 

In  the  early  '70s  Father  Taylor  made  this  confession: 
"I  have  assisted  in  the  organization  of  a  church  at  Emmets- 
burg,  about  thirty  miles  west  in  Palo  Alto  County.  There  I 
met  Brother  Coleman  and  delegate  from  the  church  in  Spencer 
about  thirty  miles  still  farther  west,  so  that  the  churches  from 
east  and  west  united  and  filled  up  the  gap.  Thus  the  brethren 
have  surrounded  me  and  kept  encroaching  upon  my  parish 
until  I  have  only  one  county  left,  unless  I  go  east  into  Hancock 
County,  which  I  beheve  is  disputed  ground  between  myself 
and  brethren  Allen  of  Clear  Lake  and  Sands  of  Belmond." 
However,  he  takes  pleasure  in  the  newness  of  communities 
northwest  of  him.  "The  country  there,"  he  says,  "is  very 
new,  many  of  the  families  still  living  in  their  sod  houses,  and 
it  seemed  like  old  times  to  see  them  gathering  from  every  direc- 
tion to  their  sod  schoolhouse,  some  with  teams  and  some  on 
foot,  picking  their  way  around  or  through  the  sloughs.  They 
filled  the  house  so  that  I  could  neither  spread  myself  nor 
stretch  myself,  as  I  could  not  stand  up  straight  without  hit- 
ting the  brush  and  grass  of  the  roof." 

In  our  travels  about  the  state,  we  have  already  met  Father 
Upton  in  Durango,  and  Buckingham  and  Monona,  but  the 
history  of  Congregational  Iowa  locates  him  in  Dickinson 
County,  and  gives  him  the  first  place  among  the  pioneer 
missionaries  of  our  real  Northwest.  Brother  Ephraim  Adams 
gave  this  description  of  his  first  trip  from  Monona  to  the  new 
field: 

The  journey  was  not  by  rail,  but  by  a  true  missionary  rig  of  his  own  getting 
up  for  the  occasion.  A  very  long  horse  hitched  by  quite  long  tugs  to  an 
exceedingly  long  buckboard,  with  himself  and  trunk  located  at  the  rear. 
The  intention  doubtless  was  that  the  horse  might  be  safely  on  terra  firma, 
his  forelegs  at  least,  just  about  the  time  that  the  weight  of  the  concern 
would  be  getting  into  the  worst  of  the  slough.  The  impression  of  the 
beholder  naturally  was  that  he  would  probably  get  through  to  his  jour- 
ney's end  in  safety,  if  he  only  had  a  spyglass  to  steer  by.      At  any  rate. 


UP   IN   THE   SIOUX   COUNTRY,    1870-1879     199 

he  did  get  through  to  Lakeville,  and  found  plenty  of  room  to  turn  in  in 
the  surrounding  counties  where  at  that  time  fences  were  unknown,  farms 
few  and  inhabitants  rare.  In  his  tours,  he  found  the  people  hungry  for 
preaching.  Traveling  about  he  grew  rugged  and  cheerful.  His  hair, 
he  affirmed,  was  less  gray  than  when  he  started.  When  he  came  back 
for  his  family  he  was  happy  as  a  foreign  missionary.  His  accounts  of 
the  far-off  country  just  discovered  were  glowing.  He  ever  remained  a 
firm  believer  in  northwestern  Iowa,  despite  blizzards  and  grasshoppers. 

In  every  misfortune  and  calamity  he  would  comfort  himself 
and  his  neighbors  by  the  assurance:  "There's  a  future  for 
Dickinson  County."  He  began  his  work  August  25,  1869. 
His  description  of  the  field  as  it  was  a  few  months  later  is 
as  follows: 

About  a  year  ago,  your  Superintendent  stated  that  there  were  fifteen 
counties  in  the  northwest  corner  of  this  state  in  which  we  had  no  church  or 
minister.  This  determined  me  to  seek  a  field  of  labor  in  them.  Accord- 
ingly I  commenced  a  work  of  exploring  nine  of  these  counties,  and  found 
almost  everywhere  new  settlements  forming,  most  of  them  scarcely  three 
months  old.  Nearly  all  were  upon  homesteads,  given  on  condition  of  five 
years'  residence  and  improvements. 

The  cUmate  and  soil  are  excellent.  Scarcity  of  timber  and  fear  of 
Indians  in  years  past  delayed  settlement.  These  obstacles  are  now  not 
serious.  The  red  man  is  far  removed,  so  that  he  cannot  repeat  his  out- 
rages. Several  thousand  acres  of  timber,  rich  peat  beds,  and,  not  far  off, 
the  best  coal  regions  of  the  state;  with  a  railroad  nearly  completed,  three 
others  on  their  way,  and  another  to  pass  near,  all  this,  added  to  cheapness 
of  land,  is  causing  the  country  to  be  settled  with  almost  unprecedented 
rapidity. 

My  labors  have  been  mostly  confined  to  three  ranges  of  counties  lying 
in  the  valley  of  the  Little  Sioux  River,  one  of  the  finest  in  Iowa.  In 
Cherokee,  Clay  and  Dickinson  counties,  I  find  at  four  important  points 
materials  sufficient  for  organizing  a  church,  and  have  evidence  that  at 
other  points  missionary  labor  will  be  needed  soon,  and  churches  should 
be  organized. 

Some  part  of  my  entertainment  is  furnished  me  by  settlers,  but  I  have 
to  provide,  many  things,  or  fare  hard.  Often  I  have  to  go  many  miles  for 
a  place  to  lay  my  head  at  night.  Many  families  cannot  keep  me  or  my 
horse  at  all.  Some  are  living  in  sod  houses,  in  shanties  covered  with  hay, 
and  others  in  caverns  dug  into  the  sides  of  hills  roofed  over  with  turf. 
Log  cabins  are  almost  palatial  compared  with  the  other  dwellings. 


200  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Father  Upton's  first  church  was  at  Cherokee,  organized  with 
eight  members,  June  12,  1870.  In  September  of  this  year 
he  was  reheved  of  the  care  of  this  church  by  the  coming  of 
Rev.  W.  F.  Rose.  His  second  church,  Lakeville,  on  West 
Okoboji,  was  organized  with  thirty  members  July  9,  of  this 
same  year.  For  several  years  this  was  the  missionary's  head- 
quarters, and  most  important  field.  Superintendent  Guernsey 
gives  a  glowing  account  of  a  pioneer  church  sociable,  from 
thirty  to  fifty  gathered  at  the  pastor's  house  here  at  Lakeville. 
It  was  from  this  Lakeville  home  that  Mrs.  Upton  wrote: 
"We  never  drop  our  curtains  in  the  evening,  and  our  lamp 
often  guides  a  belated  traveler  to  rest  and  safety." 

At  the  end  of  his  second  year.  Father  Upton  reported: 
"Two  years  ago  I  began  to  explore  this  almost  unheard-of 
region  where  settlements  were  just  commencing.  I  have 
been  permitted  to  see  an  amazing,  unparalleled  rapidity  of 
settlement  and  to  feel  myself  among  the  most  stirring  agencies 
that  are  changing  a  wilderness  not  less  than  eighty  miles 
square  into  a  fruitful  field.  Religiously,  as  well  as  otherwise, 
it  seems  as  if  a  nation  has  been  born  in  a  day.  Ministers 
are  coming  in  and  churches  are  multiplying,  and  the  way  is 
almost  clear  to  organize  an  Association  within  the  boundaries 
of  the  field,  all  of  which  I  called  mine  one  year  ago.  The 
memory  of  these  two  years  of  missionary  service  will  be  the 
most  pleasant  of  my  life." 

The  second  pioneer  for  the  region  was  Rev.  Benj.  A.  Dean. 
He  arrived  March  1,  1872,  from  Garnavillo,  and  took  posses- 
sion of  Osceola  County,  its  population  scarcely  one  thousand, 
county  seat  not  yet  located,  only  one  tree,  it  was  said,  in  the 
whole  county.  He  was  as  short  as  Father  Upton  was  tall. 
His  horse  and  buggy  were  both  compact.  He  was  quick  in 
his  motions,  getting  about  with  amazing  swiftness.  With 
his  bag  of  books,  he  went  everywhere,  establishing  Sunday- 
schools,  and  establishing  preaching  stations  at  every  available 
point.     By  universal  consent,  the  verdict  was  that  no  Metho- 


UP   IN   THE  SIOUX   COUNTRY,    1870-1879     201 

dist  itinerant  had  ever  been  known  to  get  over  the  ground 
as  he  did;  not  that  his  horse  Tim  was  so  very  fleet,  but  always 
at  it.  His  wife,  a  true  daughter  of  Holyoke,  all  over  their 
home  missionary  fields,  organized  bands  for  foreign  missions. 
Of  himself  and  his  field,  he  says : 

Starting  in  March,  I  traveled  two  weeks,  through  storms  and  deep 
snows,  and  over  trackless  prairies,  being  snow-bhnd  for  a  week.  I  preached 
twice  in  Dickinson  County.  In  April,  after  getting  my  house  habitable 
I  preached  once  at  home,  twice  at  Indian  Lake,  once  at  Round  Lake,  and 
I  preached  the  first  sermon  ever  heard  in  Worthington,  Minnesota.  I 
preached  also  in  the  Perry  neighborhood,  and  at  Sibley,  ten  and  one-half 
miles  west  of  my  home.  This  is  our  proposed  county-seat  and  chief  rail- 
way station.  During  the  quarter,  I  have  traveled  about  six  hundred 
miles.  Others  must  fill  the  railroad  centers.  I  take  for  my  work,  the 
scattered  people  five,  ten  and  fifteen  miles  back.  We  shall  have  a  hard 
lot  here  with  these  poor  people,  but  though  wearied  with  my  work,  I 
rejoice  in  it,  and  am  thankful  to  have  been  sent  here. 

The  Sioux  Association  was  organized  in  the  Spring  of  1872. 
The  five  churches  uniting  were  Cherokee,  Lakeville,  Grant, 
Le  Mars,  and  Sioux  City.  This  last  named  ancient  church, 
fifteen  years  of  age,  coming  from  the  Council  Bluffs  Associa- 
tion, with  its  able  and  genial  pastor,  J.  H.  Morley,  was  a 
tower  of  strength  to  the  new  Association.  Half  of  the  mem- 
bership of  the  Association  was  in  this  church,  and  church  and 
pastor  gave  heart  and  hand  to  the  pioneer  work  of  the  new 
regions  now  opened  up.  Father  Upton,  the  pioneer  mission- 
ary, was,  of  course,  one  of  the  charter  members. 

Rev.  W.  L.  Coleman,  too,  coming  from  years  of  pioneer 
experiences  at  Bellevue,  Stacyville  and  Mitchell,  was  one  of 
the  charter  members,  and  a  guiding  hand  in  its  affairs.  He 
had  much  to  do  with  the  planting  of  the  churches,  especially 
those  at  Spencer  and  Emmetsburg,  to  both  of  which  he  min- 
istered as  pastor,  serving  the  Spencer  church  for  seven  years. 
The  other  charter  ministerial  members  were  Rev.  W.  F. 
Rose  of  Cherokee,  and  J.  H.  Covey  of  Grant.  Among  those 
who  did  good  service  in  the  Sioux  country  and  the  borders 


202  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

thereof  was  William  J.  Smith.  We  find  him  first  at  Osage 
in  1858.  In  the  early  70s  he  was  at  Alden,  then  at  Newell 
and  Manson,  "the  only  Congregational  minister  in  four 
counties,"  and  then,  at  the  very  beginning  of  things,  at  Sioux 
Rapids  in  the  very  heart  of  the  Sioux  country.  In  the  Spring 
of  1870,  he  had  it  in  his  mind  and  heart  to  go  to  the  Associa- 
tional  meeting  at  Otho.  How  he  missed  the  mark  the  follow- 
ing from  him  will  show: 

We  all  love  the  meeting  of  Association,  both  for  its  profit  and  pleasure. 
But  the  country  between  Alden  and  Otho  is  very  fiat,  with  numerous 
ponds  of  standing  water,  and  this  is  a  preeminently  wet  season  and  there 
are  two  large  rivers  to  be  forded.  Two  delegates  with  their  wives  in  a 
small  wagon  are  gone;  minister  and  wife  with  horse  and  buggy  follow  a 
few  hours  later.  [Brother  Smith  was  always  "a  few  hours  later".]  First 
company  about  eight  miles  from  home  turns  into  a  field  to  avoid  an  impas- 
sable slough;  through  mistake  they  get  on  soft  ground  and  suddenly  find 
themselves  with  but  one  horse.  Seeing  ears  they  think  that  the  other 
horse  is  not  far  off.  What  they  did  to  get  on  terra  firma  would  be  too  long 
a  story.  Wading,  wallowing  in  the  mud  to  the  Boone  River,  they  find  the 
banks  full,  but  they  ford  by  the  aid  of  a  large  emigrant  wagon  train  of 
mammoth  horses  and  four  men. 

They  pursue  their  watery  way  to  the  Des  Moines,  over  which,  after 
foot-wanderings  over  the  brushy  shore,  they  are  paddled,  part  at  a  time, 
in  a  canoe  and  finally  hauled  by  several  yokes  of  oxen  where  horses  could 
not  go.  This  party  of  the  first  part  attended  Association — having  con- 
quered because  they  did  not  know  they  were  whipped.  As  to  the  party 
of  the  second  part,  minister  and  wife  followed  their  illustrious  predeces- 
sors through  all  to  the  Boone,  and  looked  upon  its  frightful,  rushing  tide. 
Not  being  swimmers,  and  not  wishing  to  commit  suicide  nor  to  take  pas- 
sage to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  they  turned  about  and,  after  three  days  of 
travel,  reached  home  with  new  experience  of  what  they  call  roads  in  the 
West.  "Why  not  take  cars?"  you  ask.  For  three  reasons.  The  cars 
do  not  run  there.  If  they  did  the  fare  is  nearly  six  cents  a  mile.  To  give 
half-fare  tickets  for  any  ecclesiastical  meeting  is  with  our  railroad  folks 
unconstitutional . 

On  the  borders  of  the  Sioux  country  was  another  whose  story 
belongs  in  the  records  of  the  '70s.  At  an  advanced  age, 
Father  Allen  came  from  long  years  of  pioneer  work  in  Wis- 


UP  IN  THE   SIOUX   COUNTRY,    1870-1879     203 

consin  in  the  fall  of  1868.  He  organized  the  church  at  Clear 
Lake.  He  was  ahead  of  Brother  J.  D.  Mason  at  Forest  City, 
EUington  and  the  country  round  about.  Here  is  a  glimpse 
of  the  heroism  of  this  old  "soldier  of  the  cross": 

The  Superintendent  advised  me  to  go  to  Forest  City  once  a  month  dur- 
ing the  winter.  I  have  done  so  thus  far,  and  shall  continue  to  do  so  when 
roads  and  weather  permit;  but  you  must  know  that  quite  often  dreadful 
storms  of  snow  and  cold  render  it  unsafe  to  travel.  It  is  twenty  miles 
from  here.  Twice  in  crossing  these  bleak  prairies  I  came  near  perishing. 
For  many  miles  there  is  not  a  house  on  the  road.  Once,  after  riding  many 
miles  facing  a  northwest  wind,  my  horse  refused  to  go.  I  left  him  in  the 
road  and  succeeded  in  crawling  to  the  door  of  a  house,  and  the  woman  of 
the  house  helped  me  in,  almost  frozen  to  death.  I  could  not  walk.  At 
another  time,  leaving  my  horse  at  a  tavern,  I  walked  nearly  a  mile  to  the 
schoolhouse  to  preach.  No  one  had  dared  to  come  out  and  the  door  was 
locked.  I  attempted  to  go  back  to  the  nearest  house  facing  a  storm  of 
wind  and  snow  and  I  had  to  crawl  on  my  hands  and  knees.  I  barely 
escaped  perishing.  In  either  of  these  cases  I  could  not  have  gone  fifty 
rods  farther.     I  am  growing  old — will  be  seventy-eight  in  June. 

Ephraim  Adams  gives  us  a  picture  of  this  grand  old  man 
as  he  appeared  shortly  before  his  death: 

At  our  Ministers'  Retreat  at  Clear  Lake,  we  held,  July  27,  a  kind  of 
Ministers'  Institute,  at  which  Father  Allen,  by  request,  was  to  say  to  us  a 
few  words.  He  put  them  into  writing  and  I  hold  in  my  hand  the  paper 
which,  at  my  request,  he  gave  me  that  day.  As  I  look  it  over,  I  can  see 
the  trembling  hand,  the  hoary  locks,  the  erect  yet  yielding  frame.  I  am 
looking  again  into  that  kind,  benevolent  face;  and  almost  hear  the  voice, 
the  tones,  the  inflections  with  which  these  words  were  spoken.  It  seems 
now  almost  a  voice  from  the  grave,  aye,  rather  from  within  the  veil. 

Conspicuous  among  those  who  in  later  years  did  notable 
service  in  the  Sioux  country,  as  elsewhere  in  Iowa,  was  Rev. 
A.  M.  Beaman.  He  was  accepted  by  the  Sioux  Association 
as  a  licentiate  in  September  1888.  He  began  at  Sergeant's 
Bluffs.  He  did  missionary  work  at  Spencer,  Spirit  Lake, 
Milford,  and  Sioux  Rapids.  He  organized  the  churches  at 
Peterson  and  Castana,  He  built  parsonages  at  Sergeant's 
Bluffs,  and  Corning,  and  had  much  to  do  with  the  erection 


204  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

of  church  buildings  at  Castana,  Peterson  and  Sioux  Rapids. 
His  preUminary  building  at  Sioux  Rapids  cost  five  hundred 
dollars.  The  house  had  no  underpinning;  its  weather  board- 
ing was  ship-lap;  there  was  no  paint  either  within  or  without; 
the  only  spire  was  a  stove-pipe  sticking  up  through  the  roof; 
and  yet  there  was  a  lady  in  the  church  who  said:  "I  came 
from  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  and  worshipped  in  a  forty  thou- 
sand dollar  church,  and  yet  I  must  say  that  out  here  in  this 
rude  chapel,  we  have  better  preaching  than  we  had  at  home." 
Speaking  of  his  work  up  in  the  Sioux  country,  Mr.  Beaman 
says: 

Those  years  of  Home  Missionary  work  are  among  the  best  and  happiest 
of  my  life.  Coming  into  the  ministry  as  I  did,  without  fitness,  but  called 
of  God,  I  feared  the  "cold  shoulder"  from  the  school  men,  but  I  never 
have  had  it  given  me.  The  stronger  men  of  the  state  were  always  my 
helpers. 

In  the  competition  for  pulpits,  I  have  had  no  part,  and  yet  for  nearly 
twenty-five  years  I  was  not  without  a  pulpit  for  even  one  day.  God  has 
always  opened  the  door,  and  I  have  never  pushed.  I  have  been  happy  in 
all  of  my  work. 

So  many  seem  to  fear  the  Home  Mission  work,  and  salary  connected 
with  it.  Why,  I  took  the  last  ten  dollar  bill  I  had  to  pay  my  fare  to  my 
first  field — paid  $7.50  for  ticket  and  waited  on  God,  and  for  the  church. 
I  have  always  paid  my  debts  promptly,  given  liberally  to  benevolence, 
saved  as  I  could  honestly,  invested  not  very  wisely  always,  and  have  a 
comfortable  reliance  today  for  the  needs  of  life.  God  has  blessed  me, 
blessed  my  work,  and  he  will  do  this  for  any  one  who  "follows  where  He 
leads." 

This  is  valuable  testimony.  Really  what  better  lot  in  life 
is  there  than  this? 

Early  in  the  decade  occurred  an  event  of  great  significance 
to  the  whole  state,  and  to  Northern  Iowa  and  the  Sioux 
country  in  particular — a  change  of  Superintendents.  "The 
noble  Guernsey,"  as  his  successor  called  him  was  stricken 
in  the  midst  of  his  great  service,  December  1,  1870.  Doctor 
Magoun  speaks  of  him  as  "a  man  of  large  make,  both  of  body 
and  mind;  a  man  of  great  practical  energy  and  wisdom,  apt 


UP   IN   THE   SIOUX   COUNTRY,    1870-1879     205 

in  affairs  and  fertile  in  expedients."  He  was  born  at  Water- 
town,  Connecticut,  July  1822.  He  paid  in  part  for  private 
instruction  in  the  classics  by  working  at  twenty-five  cents 
a  day.  The  years  1842-1844  he  spent  at  Western  Reserve  Col- 
lege one  year  having  "only  eight  dollars  in  money,  most  of  which 
went  for  postage  at  twenty-five  cents  a  letter."  After  short 
pastorates  in  Charlestown,  Massachusetts,  1847-1849,  Derby 
City,  1849-1852,  and  a  few  months  at  Saybrook,  he  was  called 
to  Dubuque,  and  began  there  a  pastorate  of  two  years,  Decem- 
ber 2,  1853.  Returning  East,  he  was  at  Woodbridge,  Connec- 
ticut for  a  year,  and  then  returned  to  Iowa  for  the  great  work 
of  his  life  as  Superintendent  of  Home  Missions,  beginning  in 
September  of  1857,  and  closing  with  his  death  December  1, 
1870.  That  this  was  a  faithful  and  fruitful  ministry  these 
pages  abundantly  testify.  As  he  was  starting  out  on  one 
occasion  for  some  home  missionary  service,  his  wife  "tried 
to  detain  him  on  the  ground  that  he  was  unable  to  go;  bis 
reply  was  that  if  it  were  a  large  place  he  wouldn't  think  of 
going,  but  as  it  was  a  little  church,and  his  coming  would  mean 
so  much  to  them,  he  couldn't  bear  to  disappoint  them." 
This  was  characteristic  of  the  man.  He  did  a  great  work. 
In  the  fourteen  years  of  his  leadership  the  churches  grew  in 
numbers  from  one  hundred  and  four  to  two  hundred  and  seven, 
and  the  membership  from  three  thousand,  four  hundred  and 
ninety-two  to  eleven  thousand  and  twenty-seven. 

Now  who  was  to  take  Mr.  Guernsey's  place?  Turner  of  the 
Band  was  doing  splendid  work  down  in  Missouri  as  Superin- 
tendent of  Home  Missions.  Was  there  another  member  of  the 
Band  with  special  qualifications  for  such  a  place  of  honor 
and  hardship?  How  would  that  gentle,  refined,  retiring, 
deUcate  but  forceful  man  up  at  Decorah  do  for  the  rugged 
service?  He  was  one  of  the  Band,  the  best  of  them,  if  there 
was  any  best.  He  had  been  here  nearly  thirty  years,  a  close 
observer,  always  at  the  Association,  state  and  local.  He  knew 
the  state  as  well  as  any  pastor  can;  and  he  loved  Iowa  and  the 


206  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

churches  and  the  college  and  all  our  institutions,  with  all 
his  heart;  and  he  was  known  and  trusted  and  loved  by  all  the 
people.  Moreover  he  had  a  genuis  for  organization,  and  though 
without  self-assertion,  easily  assuming  the  role  of  leadership. 
How  would  he  do? 

His  ten  years  of  splendid  efficient  service,  beginning  in  1872 
give  answer:  "He  will  do!"  It  would  be  almost  literally 
correct  to  say:  "He  organized  home  missions  in  Iowa." 
The  present  perfect  constitution  of  the  Iowa  Home  Missionary 
Society  is  simply  a  statement  in  terms  of  constitution  and 
by-laws  of  home  missionary  operations  set  in  motion  by  his 
hand.  For  six  years  his  diocese  was  Northern  Iowa,  and  then 
for  four  years  longer  he  had  the  whole  state.  In  the  ten  years 
the  churches  increased  from  two  hundred  and  seven  to  two 
hundred  and  fifty- seven,  and  the  membership  from  eleven 
thousand  and  twenty-seven  to  fifteen  thousand,  five  hundred 
and  eighty-seven. 

Brother  Adams'  first  report  was  a  sad  one,  recording  the 
death  of  his  oldest  son,  Theodore,  at  the  age  of  twenty-six. 
The  report  is  characteristic  of  the  man  and  ends  as  follows: 
"So  this  morning,  I  take  up  my  life-work  again.  It  seems  to 
me  my  last  life-work.  May  it  be  prosecuted  for  the  time  God 
gives,  with  a  new  devotion  under  the  stimulus  of  this  sad 
providence."  The  next  report  was  also  a  revelation  of  the 
man,  as  also  the  revelation  of  another  man  and  his  household 
and  the  home  missionary  service.  Rev.  T.  K.  Bixby,  coming 
from  the  schoolroom  into  the  ministry,  was  permitted  to  preach 
just  one  year,  at  Rockford — "the  happiest  year  of  my  life," 
he  said — and  then  entered  upon  still  happier  service,  the  date 
of  his  translation,  March  13,  1873. 

With  his  wife  he  left  six  children,  the  eldest  a  lad  of  fifteen,  and  five 
daughters,  a  lovely  row  tapering  down  to  the  little  one  of  three  summers. 
These  little  ones  had  joint  ownership  in  a  "missionary  chicken."  Into  a 
little  pasteboard  safe  the  growing  gains  were  dropped  as  eggs  were  sold  or 
chickens  marketed.     Once  this  box  had  been  opened  and  its  contents 


UP  IN   THE   SIOUX  COUNTRY,   1870-1879     207 

gi\en  to  the  foreign  cause.  The  next  gathering  was  to  be  for  Home  Mis- 
sions when  the  Superintendent  should  pass  that  way  and  open  the  Uttle 
safe  with  them  as  he  had  promised.  The  opening  was  at  a  hurried  morn- 
ing caU.  The  missionary  breakfast  was  just  over;  a  few  words  of  sympathy 
and  cheer  had  been  ventured  and  a  prayer  offered,  the  Superintendent 
taking  (not  filhng)  the  father's  place  at  the  family  altar.  "Now  children," 
said  the  mother,  "you  may  bring  your  box."  "You  know,"  she  said  to 
the  visitor,  "that  you  promised  them  that  you  would  open  it  with  them 
some  time."  With  quick  feet  and  bright  eyes  they  brought  the  box. 
Tiny  fingers  traced  the  lines  where  it  should  be  opened  and  little  heads 
crowded  in  to  see  the  pennies  that  should  rattle  out.  Eighty-two  cents 
were  soon  counted;  ten  more  were  added  by  permission.  They  said  I 
might  acknowledge  it  as  "from  the  little  Bixbys."  Should  I  take  it  or 
give  it  back?  There  seemed  something  sacred  about  the  offering.  Was 
the  father  looking  on?  If  so,  methought  he  would  say,  "Take  it;  let  them 
be  pleased;  let  them  learn  to  love  the  cause  for  which  I  have  toiled."  The 
mother's  cheerful,  trusting  look  also  said,  "Take  it."  The  litt'e  ones 
expected  it.  So  I  took  it,  thinking,  God  will  surely  bless  these  Uttle  ones; 
He  will  care  for  this  mother;  perhaps,  through  this,  he  will  stir  up  many 
parents  to  teach  their  little  ones  how  to  give,  so  that  all  over  this  land 
other  children  may  be  helpers  in  our  great,  good  work.     May  it  prove  true. 

Another  report  tells  of  a  thank-offering  dollar  with  a  history 
of  self-denial  and  sacrifice.  What  a  revelation  of  the  self- 
denial  and  sacrifice  of  the  Superintendent  this  comment: 
"It  has  already  saved  itself,  and  doubtless  will  save  itself 
many  times  more,  for  as  I  take  my  lunch  for  a  meal,  or  forego 
the  rest  of  a  sleeping  car  in  a  night  ride,  I  think  I  am  saving 
that  dollar." 

To  this  decade  and  in  this  Sioux  country  especially  belongs 
the  story  of  the  Grasshopper  Invasion.  In  1874  an  eye-wit- 
ness wrote : 

An  army  of  them  is  passing  over  my  house  going  eastward.  The  air 
is  filled  with  them  as  high  as  you  can  see.  The  lower  s-trata  look  hke 
snow-flakes  in  the  air.  Higher  up  they  look  like  dust  sprinkled  in  the 
sky.  As  soon  as  they  strike  they  begin  to  eat.  They  have  excellent 
appetites  and  a  wide  range  of  diet.  Pungent  articles  are  their  favorites, 
but,  when  these  fail,  they  thrive  well  on  corn  or  grass,  or  leaves  of  fruit 
or  forest  trees,  and  even  as  a  last  resort,  they  devour  the  twigs  and  bark 
of  the  trees  and  the  stalks  of  com  as  the  hardtack  of  the  campaign.     The 


208  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

rapidity  of  their  work  is  almost  incredible.  The  great  corn-fields  of  the 
prairies  seem  to  melt  before  them  almost  while  you  arc  looking  at  them; 
orchards  and  forests  exhibit  the  baldness  of  winter,  and  the  whole  country 
looks  as  though  a  fire  had  passed  over  it.  1  drove  several  miles  through 
the  fields  while  the  grasshoppers  were  working.  The  sound  of  their  eat- 
ing was  as  if  a  drove  of  cattle  were  in  the  field.  The  insect  differs  from  the 
common  grasshopper.  It  is  no  doubt  identical  with  the  locust  of  Scrip- 
ture. The  second  chapter  of  Joel  might  literally  be  applied  to  the  western 
plains  today.  They  come  like  a  strong  people  in  battle  array,  with  a 
noise  of  chariots  upon  the  mountain  of  fire  that  devoureth  the  stubble. 
They  march  every  one  his  own  way  and  do  not  break  their  ranks.  The  land 
as  the  garden  of  Eden  before  them,  behind  them  a  desolate  wilderness. 

Another  testifies:  "Last  Saturday  the  thermometer  stood 
at  nearly  fever  heat.  While  longing  for  a  shower  to  cool  the 
air,  we  saw  in  the  west  what  first  seemed  to  be  black  clouds 
of  smoke,  as  though  the  prairies  were  on  fire.  Soon  we  heard 
a  sound  as  of  the  rushing  of  many  waters,  and  then,  drop! 
drop!  drop!  against  the  window-panes  and  upon  the  house, 
and  lo,  a  shower  of  grasshoppers.  The  air  was  full  of  them. 
When  they  came  between  us  and  the  sun  there  was  an  appear- 
ance of  a  partial  eclipse.  Their  stay  was  long  enough  to 
convert  our  beautiful  corn  fields  into  rows  of  ragged  bean 
poles,  strip  our  fruit  trees  and  almost  totally  destroy  the 
vegetables  and  shrubbery  of  our  gardens."  This  is  copied 
from  the  Home  Missionary  of  October  1874. 

They  came  first  in  18G7.  They  made  a  second  visitation 
in  1873.  They  did  their  worst  in  1874.  They  came  in  wan- 
dering bands  in  1875,  1876  and  1877.  They  spread  their 
devastations  over  the  whole  Sioux  country  as  far  east  as 
Kossuth  and  Wright  Counties.  They  brought  consternation 
and  ruin  to  thousands  of  the  homesteaders;  they  decimated 
scores  of  communities;  they  broke  up  churches.  We  have 
seen  the  bright  prospect  at  Lakeville.  The  church  did  not 
not  long  survive  the  grasshopper  raid.  One  man  exchanged 
his  house  and  farm  within  half  a  mile  of  the  church,  for  a  team 
to  get  away  with.     The  church  long  ago  disappeared  from  our 


UP   IN   TIII<:   SIOUX   COUNTRY,    1870-1870     200 

minutes  and  Lakcvillc  village  is  not  now  on  the  map  of 
Iowa. 

It  was  somewhat  better  witli  the  cliurch  at  Grant.  The 
grasshoppers  broke  up  the  church,  and  drove  out  all  the  mem- 
bers excepting  "Mother  Slack."  She  simply  would  not  go. 
At  length  tlu^  pest  subsidcMl,  and  people  reiurn(>d  to  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  thought  it  well  to  organize  another  church, 
and  called  a  council  for  the  ])urpose.  Mother  Slack  objected 
to  the  new  organization  for,  said  she,  "There  is  a  church  here 
now."  "Well,  where  is  the  church?"  "I  am  it,"  she  replied. 
"Well,  would  it  not  be  better  for  the  church  to  disband,  and 
form  anew?"  "I'll  never  disband,"  she  said,  and  so  she  stood 
up  and  took  in  a  dozen  members  into  the  old  church,  and 
preserved  its  "historic  continuity,"  and  the  earli(>r  date  is 
recognized  in  our  minutes. 

Another  pleasing  incident  of  the  grasshopper  period  is  thus 
told  by  Superintendent  Adams.  It  occurred  in  the  fall  of 
1874. 

"I'lic  AsHociation  iiK^t  in  Alj^ona,  wlicro,  you  know,  Fathor  Taylor  Uvea 
and  wluMc  he  lias  roncwt  d  his  youth  in  niissi  mary  Korvice  to  the  regions 
round  alxmt.  1  wciil.  with  him  to  on"  of  his  a|)i)oin( incuts  sovcn  nulos 
from  town.  In  a  little  12  x  12  school  house,  on  a  broad  prairie,  its  wheat 
fields  destroyed  and  its  eorn(i(>Ids  gnvitly  injured  by  the  "hoiipers"  a 
few  men,  some  women  and  more  children,  about  forty  in  all,  had  assembled 
for  Sunday  school  and  preaching.  Strains  of  the  old  hymn,  "Shining 
Shore"  greeted  ua  as  we  drew  near.  First  came  the  sermon;  then  the 
collection.  For  this  they  were  ready,  for  Father  Taylor  had  told  them  of 
the  Society,  and  had  promised  to  double  whatever  they  would  give,  lie 
had  told  me  that  he  did  not  expect  more  than  a  dollar  or  so,  but.  he  thought 
it  did  people  good  to  go  through  the  motions  if  nothing  more.  Well,  as 
soon  as  he  motion  d  wi'h  his  hat  that,  he  was  r(>ady,  up  came  th<>  little 
hands  all  about  him  with  pennies,  and  young  men's  fmgers  with  scrij),  and 
even  one  or  two  old  pocketbooks  were  turned  up  with  dollar  bills  inclosed. 
Little  eyes  shone,  and  so  did  those  of  the  old  missionary.  On  counting 
up  we  had  $.'5.20.  "Well,  Father  Taylor,  are  you  going  to  double  it?" 
"Why,  I  said  I  would,  and  I  will;  but  I  guess  I  shall  have  to  be  careful 
how  I  make  such  promises  to  many  more  congregations." 
15 


210  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

A  member  of  the  Sheldon  Church  tells  his  experience: 

I  remember  that  we  had  a  nice  lot  of  hogs,  and  how  proud  we  were  of 
them,  for  the  reason  that  we  would  be  enabled  to  supply  some  of  our 
necessities,  and  at  the  same  time  do  so  much  for  the  cherished  enterprise 
which  was  so  dear  to  us  (the  building  of  the  new  church).  But  a  disap- 
pointment lurked  in  our  path;  and  just  as  we  thought  we  were  nearing  the 
fruition  of  our  hopes,  the  pest  came,  and  our  dream,  lovely  as  it  was, 
vanished  as  the  fog  before  the  noonday  sun.  We  had  our  hogs  but  they 
were  not  marketable,  and  we  had  nothing  in  the  way  of  feed  to  make  them 
so.  They  were  turned  out  on  the  bleak  prairie,  to  shift  for  themselves; 
and  when  all  but  one  had  succumbed  to  the  pitiless  ordeal,  we  took  baskets 
in  our  hands  and  went  into  the  fields  and  found  a  few  nubbins,  with  which 
we  kept  his  hogship  alive  until  we  got  milk  from  our  cows  in  the  spring; 
then  we  made  pork  rapidly  considering  the  means  at  hand.  When  the 
proper  time  arrived  we  sold  our  orphaned  and  companionless  pig,  and 
turned  over  the  entire  proceeds  toward  paying  the  lumber  bill  for  the 
church. 

To  Father  Sands,  sorely  disappointed  that  he  was  prevented 
by  the  grasshopper  scourge  from  building  a  meeting-house 
and  that  he  could  not  get  his  usual  "quarterage  for  home 
missions,"  came  the  calamity  of  the  total  destruction  of  his 
house  and  valuable  library,  and  nearly  all  his  furniture,  by 
fire.  It  hardly  need  be  said,  however,  that  out  of  this  disaster 
came  friends  and  sympathy,  books  and  money,  and,  in  the 
end,  a  house  less  humble  than  the  one  consumed. 

The  Nutshell  Account  of  the  church  organizations  of  the 
decade  now  under  review  may  be  found  in  Chapter  XVI. 
These  churches  indicate  the  movements  of  the  population 
to  the  West,  and  especially  to  the  Northwest.  Of  the  sixty- 
one  organizations  of  this  decade,  not  one  was  in  the  Denmark 
or  Davenport  Associations,  only  one  in  the  Dubuque,  and  two 
in  the  Garnavillo,  and  only  nineteen  in  the  eastern  half  of  the 
state;  while  there  were  eleven  in  the  Council  Bluffs,  and  fif- 
teen in  the  new  Sioux,  twenty-one  in  the  northwestern  quarter, 
and  forty  in  the  western  half  of  the  state. 

Every  church  of  the  decade  has  a  history  full  of  interest 


UP  IN  THE  SIOUX  COUNTRY,    1870-1879     211 

and  significance.     Here,  for  example,  is  the  way  the  history 
of  the  Creston  Church  began: 

Saturday  morning,  late  in  November,  1869,  at  the  hour  of  sunrise,  the 
Rev.  Robert  Hunter,  pastor  of  the  Congregational  church  at  Nevinville, 
called  his  wife  to  the  door  to  look  through  his  field  glass  twelve  miles  away 
over  the  prairie  at  a  little  cluster  of  tents  perched  upon  the  horizon.  Said 
he:  "They  are  staking  out  a  new  town  over  there,  and  as  the  Methodist 
minister  preaches  here  tomorrow,  I  will  ride  over  there  and  try  to  stick 
a  stake  for  Christ."  So  he  rode  over  in  the  afternoon,  slept  on  a  counter, 
and  next  morning  held  a  service.  In  the  middle  of  his  sermon  a  number 
of  carpenters  who  were  shingling  the  first  hotel  were  driven  in  by  a  snow- 
squall.  When  they  had  found  comfortable  places  he  said:  "Since  the 
Lord  has  driven  you  in  where  you  must  hear  his  Word,  I  will  begin  my 
sermon  over  again."  And  so  he  did;  and  thus  he  preached  the  first  sermon 
in  Creston  and  drove  the  first  stake  for  the  church. 

At  the  organizing  council,  the  state  of  the  thermometer 
tallied  with  the  day  of  the  month — 28  below  zero.  Two 
members,  one  of  them  Joseph  Pickett,  rode  to  the  meeting 
six  miles  across  the  prairie  due  north.  Father  Todd  walked 
eight  miles  from  Tabor  to  take  the  cars  at  Hillsdale.  One 
of  the  brethren  remarked  "The  church  that  is  born  in  a  bliz- 
zard will  never  be  killed  by  a  white  frost."  The  church  was 
organized  with  seven  members.  It  took  half  of  the  total 
male  membership  to  fill  the  office  of  deacon,  though  they 
elected  but  one. 

A  Yale  theological  student  spends  his  summer  vacation  supply- 
ing Creston  and  Nevin.  They  built  a  compact  and  substantial 
little  chapel  suitable  to  their  needs.  1874,  June  13  and  14,  two  happy 
days  in  succession.  On  Saturday  Mr.  Calhoun  is  ordained,  and  on  Sun- 
day the  chapel  dedicated  free  from  debt.  June  13,  1875,  an  unfamiUar 
face  in  the  pulpit;  the  voice  of  a  stranger  leading  the  service,  that  of  Ni  H. 
Whittlesey.  1876,  Sept.  15,  Friday  evening — a  festive  scene  in  the  chapel. 
Flowers,  music,  refreshments;  a  reception.  For  the  first  time  in  its  his- 
tory the  church  possessed  a  pastor's  wife.  1887,  May  2,  Monday  evening — 
a  resident  membership  of  two  hundred  and  two.  The  dear  old  chapel  a 
perfect  bower  of  beauty;  tears,  smiles,  gifts,  prayers,  handclasps,  bene- 
dictions and  farewells  (Whittlesey  leaving).  May  8,  Sabbath — in  God's 
good  providence,  without  a  single  Sunday  intervening,  a  new  form  is  in 


212  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

the  pulpit,  another  shepherd  for  the  flock,  another  pastor's  home  in  the 
parish;  a  new  leader,  with  new  ideas,  new  methods,  new  enthusiasms, 
(A.  J.  Van  Wagner).  A  year  and  a  third  of  toil,  of  many  discouragements, 
of  alternate  hopes  and  fears,  of  bold  expedients,  of  thorough  planning,  of 
generous  seK-sacrificing,  of  earnest,  united,  heroic  effort  by  many  willing 
hearts  and  busy  hands,  men,  women  and  children  helping  as  they  did  in 
the  time  of  the  Tabernacle,  and  behold!  this  glad  day,  the  second  of  Sep- 
tember, 1888,  this  completed  edifice  and  this  joyful  congregation"  (the 
church  dedicated). 

What  a  shame  to  crowd  these  great  histories  into  a  nutshell; 
but  it  must  be  done ! 

The  numerous  dedications  of  this  decade  are  also  recorded 
in  Chapter  XVI.  The  activity  of  the  churches  in  building 
houses  of  worship  is  suggested  in  the  following  from  Superin- 
tendent Pickett:  "The  work  of  building  churches  is  rapidly 
going  forward.  Ames  has  just  completed  a  beautiful  parson- 
age and  now  the  church  becomes  self-sustaining.  It  is  the 
leading  denomination  in  this  pleasant  town.  Dunlap  has 
been  completely  revolutionized  by  the  power  of  the  divine 
Spirit,  the  church  has  more  than  doubled  its  effective  strength 
and  is  now  actively  engaged  in  building  a  five  thousand 
dollar  church.  The  same  is  true  of  Magnolia,  some  sixty 
coming  into  membership,  and  a  pleasant  house  of  worship 
is  now  building,  to  cost  something  over  $2,000.  The  little 
Welsh  church  at  Gomer  is  building  a  beautiful  little  sanctuary 
to  cost  $2,000.  Ottumwa  has  at  a  cost  of  about  $25,000, 
one  of  the  most  tasteful  and  beautiful  churches  in  the  state, 
and  the  church  here  at  Des  Moines  is  at  length  in  the  midst 
of  a  much  needed  building  enterprise.  A  commodious  struc- 
ture, costing  something  over  $20,000  is  to  be  built.  The 
church  at  Anita  has  its  four  thousand  dollar  edifice  nearly 
completed,  and  in  two  weeks  I  go  to  the  dedication  of  the 
Grand  River  church  in  Adair  County." 

Many  of  the  churches  came  to  self-support.  Among  them: 
Atlantic,  College  Springs,  Grand  View,  Mitchell,  Manchester, 
Maquoketa,    Onawa,    Otho,   Keosauqua,   Rockford,   Tipton, 


UP   IN   THE  SIOUX   COUNTRY,    1870-1879     213 

etc.     The  membership  increased  from  ten  thousand   three 
hundred  to  fifteen  thousand,  five  hundred. 

In  this  decade,  as  in  all  decades,  "some  are  coming,  some  are 
going."  A.  W.  Archibald  began  his  twelve  years'  work  in 
Iowa  as  a  student  in  the  summer  of  1875  at  Nevinville  and 
Fontanelle.  Does  the  good  Doctor  remember  that  at  the 
end  of  that  vacation  experiment  he  wrote:  "Why  will  ministers 
hang  around  Boston,  New  Haven  and  New  York  when  great 
fields  are  untouched  just  outside?  Why  hang  greedily  around 
a  single  sheaf,  when  whole  fields  are  white,  and  no  man  thrusts 
in  his  sickle?"  A  little  more  than  half  of  his  ministry  was  in 
the  land  of  the  "single  sheaf,"  but  both  here  and  there  he  did 
splendid  service. 

The  decade  introduced  to  our  Iowa  work  W.  L,  Bray,  of 
Newton,  Clinton,  Marshalltown,  etc.;  H.  L.  Chase,  of  Green 
Mountain;  A.  S.  McConnell  of  Cresco;  A.  D.  Kinser,  Leroy  S. 
Hand,  Horace  Robbins,  C.  H.  Rogers,  Stiles  of  Manchester, 
Jesse  Taintor,  George  H.  White,  D.  G.  Youker,  etc. 

Two  men  of  this  decade,  and  of  all  decades  since,  are  Snow- 
den  and  Frisbie.  They  came  in  1871.  That  certainly  was 
event  enough  for  one  year !  Snowden  came  in  February  and 
Frisbie  in  October. 

James  E.  Snowden  came  from  Ohio  and  from  Methodist 
Protestant  parentage  and  training,  but  soon  developed  into  a 
good  Congregationalist  of  a  unique  type, — all  his  own,  how- 
ever. In  his  sixteen  years'  pastorate  at  Oskaloosa  that  church 
reached  high-water  mark,  though  it  still  has  all  the  future 
to  improve  upon  that  record.  After  one  year  at  Storm  Lake 
and  eight  good  years  at  Le  Mars,  a  stately  church  edifice  being 
one  of  his  monuments  there,  he  took  hold  of  the  little  mission- 
ary church  at  Fayette.  In  the  three  years  of  his  pastorate 
there,  he  rebuilt  the  house  of  worship,  added  about  a  hundred 
to  the  membership  and  brought  the  church  to  self-support. 
Twelve  fruitful  years  at  Cedar  Falls  brings  this  grand  old 
patriarch  down  to  date,  pastor  emeritus  there  busy  still  sup- 


214  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

plying  the  many  churches  which  call  for  his  services.  Of  this 
unique,  forceful,  facetious,  brotherly  man  a  booklet  could  be 
written.     May  he  go  very  late  to  the  better  world! 

Alvah  Lillie  Frisbie  came  of  the  purest  blood  of  the  Pil- 
grim stock,  though  himself  a  New  York  Yankee,  born  in  Dela- 
ware County  October  22,  1830.  Father  Turner  would  call 
him  a  "Yankee  of  the  second  edition."  On  his  twentieth 
birthday  he  learned  his  first  lesson  in  Latin  grammar,  and 
went  on,  through  Courtland  Academy,  Oberlin  and  Amherst 
Colleges,  Yale  and  Andover  Seminaries  to  his  first  pastorate 
of  five  years'  duration  at  Ansonia,  Connecticut,  beginning 
in  February,  1860.  One  of  the  five  years  he  was  "at  the  front" 
in  the  work  of  the  Christian  Commission  and  as  Chaplain 
of  the  20th  Connecticut  Regiment;  then  six  years  at  Danbury, 
and  then  Plymouth,  Des  Moines,  for  twenty-nine  years  pastor, 
and  to  this  day  pastor  emeritus. 

For  nearly  thirty  years  he  was  the  leading  Congregational 
minister  of  the  state;  beyond  dispute  the  primate  of  the  Con- 
gregational bishops  of  Iowa.  By  his  position  in  the  Cathedral 
parish,  by  his  vigor  of  intellect,  and  by  the  abounding  grace 
of  good-will  and  fellowship  he  gained  and  held  this  high  distinc- 
tion, and,  what  is  rare,  excited  no  envy  thereby.  The  good 
Doctor's  testimony  is:  "The  long  pastorate  has  been  one  of 
prolonged  blessing  and  joy,  in  the  fellowship  of  the  splendid 
men  of  the  Congregational  ministry  of  Iowa,  in  the  love  and 
sympathy  of  the  Plymouth  people,  and  in  the  feeling  that  the 
'labor  in  the  Lord'  was  not  in  vain.  For  all.  His  name  be 
praised!" 

Another  new  man  of  the  decade  who  has  grown  to  ripeness 
of  years  in  the  state,  is  Ezra  C.  Moulton.  Brother  Moulton 
came  into  the  ministry  by  way  of  a  legal  training  and  an  edi- 
torial sanctum.  He  was  born  April  23,  1829,  in  the  Province 
of  Quebec,  of  Yankee  parents  who  had  strayed  over  the  bor- 
der. His  boyhood  was  spent  in  lUinois,  his  young  manhood 
in  Wisconsin;  his  education  was  divided  between  the  two 


UP   IN   THE   SIOUX   COUNTRY,    1870-1879     215 

states,  culminating  in  Beloit  Academy,  not  yet  a  college;  his 
legal  training  was  gained  in  the  office  supplemented  by  one 
year  in  the  New  York  College  of  Law.  Superintendent 
Adams  drew  him  from  the  editorship  of  a  temperance  paper 
in  Missouri  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Fayette  church,  his  work 
beginning  in  June,  1875.  He  served  in  many  places,  every- 
where revealing  himself  a  man  of  intellectual  brilliancy,  an 
exceptionally  gifted  preacher,  the  winner  of  admiring  friends. 
Though  past  his  fourscore  years  and  living  in  retirement 
in  Des  Moines,  his  zest  for  life,  his  interest  in  current  events 
and  the  clearness  of  his  keen  mind  make  him  "a  wonder  unto 
many."  The  record  of  his  services  is:  Fayette,  two  years; 
Mason  City,  five  years;  New  Hampton,  two  years;  Humboldt, 
one  year;  Ames,  three  years;  Shenandoah,  two  years;  Red 
Oak,  seven  years;  Corning,  two  years. 

"Some  are  coming,  some  are  going."  Harvey  Adams  is 
growing  old  but  will  not  acknowledge  it.  Bowen's  Prairie 
wants  a  "man  with  considerable  experience."  "I  frankly 
told  them,"  he  says,  "that  some  of  the  Fairfax  people  thought 
me  too  old  to  preach.  I  am  an  old  minister  for  the  West, 
nearly  sixty-seven,  but  I  need  no  horse  for  a  field  like  this. 
I  have  walked  to  Monticello,  about  five  miles,  in  one  hour 
and  five  minutes.  My  health  was  never  better  and  my  cour- 
age is  unflagging."  Thus  he  boasts  of  his  strength,  all  the 
while  shaking  from  head  to  foot  with  the  palsy.  Father 
Emerson  confesses  that  he  is  "beginning  to  feel  the  wear." 
In  1871  he  is  confined  to  the  house  for  a  month  by  a  fall  from 
his  carriage.  In  the  spring  of  1872  so  lame  that  he  must  use 
crutches  and  suffering  from  frequent  attacks  of  the  ague, 
and  a  violent  cough,  he  writes:  " I  have  seen  no  time  for  thirty 
years  when  there  seemed  such  ground  for  fear  that  my  preach- 
ing days  are  numbered."  In  September  he  writes:  "On  my 
way  to  my  Sabbath  appointments,  on  a  lonely  road,  fifteen 
miles  from  home,  I  fell  from  my  carriage  in  a  state  of  insen- 
sibility.    I  was  soon  found  and  cared  for,  or  I  must  have 


216  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

perished  from  exposure,  the  injuries  received  in  the  fall,  and 
the  shock  to  my  system.  For  several  days  I  could  not  be 
taken  home,  and  for  weeks  was  unable  to  engage  in  any  public 
work.  I  now  meet  my  Sabbath  engagements,  preaching 
twice  and  doing  a  little  pastoral  work,  although  the  physicians 
advised  me  to  give  up  all  hope  of  preaching  the  present  year 
if  ever."  In  the  minutes  of  1879,  this  once  pastor  of  a  dozen 
churches,  is  assigned  only  the  little  church  at  Elk  Creek. 

Calls  to  the  higher  service  are  much  more  frequent  in  this 
decade  than  ever  before,  for  many  of  our  ministers  are  getting 
old  enough  to  be  promoted.  We  have  already  noted  Superin- 
tendent Guernsey's  call  to — 

"Such  great  oflBces  as  suit 
The  full-grown  energies  of  heaven," 

and  the  release  of  Brother  Bixby  and  Father  Allen. 

Early  in  the  first  year  of  the  decade,  February  21,  1870, 
Erastus  Ripley  of  the  Band  was  called  to  his  reward.  He 
was  born  in  Coventry,  Connecticut,  March  15,  1815.  His 
only  pastorate  in  Iowa  was  at  Bentonsport,  1844-1848;  and 
his  only  other  field  of  service  in  the  state  was  in  Iowa  College, 
from  its  beginning  in  1848  until  its  removal  to  Grinnell  in 
1859.  Closing  his  work  with  the  college,  he  returned  to 
Connecticut  and  continued  in  school  work  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death.  He  was  an  excellent  teacher,  a  good  preacher, 
and  a  worthy  member  of  the  Band. 

May  22,  1870,  Brother  S.  J.  Whitten  of  Wittenberg,  was 
called  to  his  reward.  October  29,  1870,  the  call  came  to 
S.  P.  Sloan  of  McGregor.  He  was  one  of  our  best  preachers. 
How  he  did  preach  in  the  days  of  the  "irrepressible  conflict!  " 
"He  stiffened  all  our  backbones  by  his  sermons  in  those  days, " 
said  Governor  Samuel  Merrill.  No  wonder  Plymouth  of 
Des  Moines  gave  him  a  call.  He  accepted,  but  a  more  com- 
manding summons  took  the  precedence. 

The  next  to  be  called  was  G.  L.  WoodhuU  of  Onawa,  Octo- 


UP   IN   THE   SIOUX  COUNTRY,   1870-1879     217 

ber  1,  1870.  "The  chief  memorial  of  him  is  the  stately  edi- 
fice erected  almost  wholly  through  his  labor  and  influence." 
While  working  on  the  building  he  contracted  a  cold  which 
caused  his  death.     The  house  is  now  the  City  Library. 

Brother  Sloan  and  James  J.  Hill  came  together  to  their 
coronation  day.  Mr.  Hill  was  born  at  Phippsburg,  Maine, 
in  May,  1815,  and  was  educated  at  Bowdoin  and  Andover. 
He  also  was  a  member  of  the  Band  reaching  Iowa,  with  Mr. 
Ripley  in  the  spring  of  1844.  His  first  Iowa  fields  were  Garna- 
villo,  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  all  of  Clayton  County, 
where  it  is  said  the  staple  food  at  the  time  was  "corn-dodgers, 
bear's  meat,  and  wild  honey."  Later  he  had  pastorates  at 
Indiantown,  Green  Mountain,  Genoa  Bluffs  and  Fayette; 
He  also  served  churches  in  Illinois,  at  Albany  and  Savannah 
and  in  Minnesota,  at  Blencoe  and  Hutchinson,  at  which  place 
his  choir  was  composed  of  the  famous  Hutchinson  family 
of  New  Hampshire.  From  1865  to  1868,  he  was  Agent  of  the 
American  Missionary  Association  for  Iowa,  Kansas  and  Minne- 
sota. In  his  fruitful  ministry  he  organized  seven  churches, 
built  as  many  houses  of  worship,  gave  the  first  dollar  to  Iowa 
College,  and  many  other  dollars  besides,  and  raised  up  two 
noble  sons,  James  and  Gershom,  for  the  work  of  the  Kingdom. 
His  place  of  burial  is  in  the  Hazelwood  Cemetery  in  Grinnell. 

December  11th,  of  this  same  year,  the  call  came  to  G.  D.  A. 
Hebard  of  Oskaloosa.  He  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  and 
studied  at  Amherst,  and  Union  Seminary.  His  father  was  a 
Baptist,  his  mother  a  Methodist,  his  wife  an  Episcopalian, 
and  as  for  himself  he  hardly  knew  whether  he  was  a  Presby- 
terian or  a  Congregationalist.  One  of  the  great  services  of 
his  ministry  was  the  uniting  of  the  Congregational  and  Pres- 
byterian churches  in  Iowa  City.  He  left  there  as  one  of  his 
monuments  a  strong  church  and  the  house  of  worship  still  in 
use.  Joseph  C.  Cooper,  the  converted  sea  captain  of  Denmark 
and  the  flaming  evangelist  of  Southeastern  Iowa,  closed  his 
life  at  Cincinnati,  August  23, 1872.     The  same  year,  November 


218  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

29,  Rufus  M.  Sawyer,  after  good  service  at  Iowa  City  and 
Anamosa,  and  a  good  beginning  at  Le  Mars,  was  called  to 
his  reward. 

George  B.  Hitchcock  was  born  in  Great  Harrington,  Massa- 
chusetts, January  9,  1812.  The  family  were  early  settlers 
in  Illinois.  He  studied  for  a  time  in  Illinois  College,  but  was 
obliged  to  give  up  study  on  account  of  ill-health,  and  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Scott  County,  Iowa,  where  he  had  two  brothers 
who  were  farmers,  and  another  brother,  Allen  B.,  who  was 
pastor  at  Davenport  and  Moline.  After  a  little  time  he  re- 
gained his  health.  Here  Superintendent  Reed  found  him 
and  set  him  to  work  supplying  destitute  fields  in  the  region. 
In  1845  we  find  him  as  a  licentiate,  acting  pastor  of  the  newly 
organized  church  at  Oskaloosa.  Two  years  later  he  takes  on 
Eddyville,  and  this,  with  wide  stretches  of  territory  reaching 
up  to  Fort  Des  Moines,  was  his  field  until  1853.  Then  still 
newer  fields  attracted  his  attention,  and  he  began  a  ministry 
of  nine  years  at  Lewis.  For  three  years  longer,  he  served 
in  Iowa  at  Exira,  Magnolia,  Harrison  (Dunlap)  and  then 
passed  on  to  other  frontier  services  in  Missouri,  where,  in  the 
year  1872,  he  found  his  grave.  One  of  the  foundation  stones 
of  our  goodly  commonwealth  is  this  noble  frontiersman, 
George  B.  Hitchcock. 

May  26,  1873,  H.  S.  Clarke  of  Williamsburg  and  Genoa 
Bluffs,  his  only  Iowa  field,  died  at  the  age  of  thirty-five.  The 
record  is:  "Many  young  men  were  converted  to  Christ,  and 
houses  of  worship  were  built  on  both  of  his  fields  during  his 
pastorate." 

Benjamin  F.  Manwell  was  almost  a  stranger  to  us;  he  had 
but  one  year  in  Iowa.  He  died  at  Lawler  February  24, 
1874. 

March  10,  1874,  the  summons  came  to  O.  W.  Merrill.  For 
eight  years  beginning  in  June,  1862,  he  served  with  great 
success  the  church  at  Anamosa.  He  was  one  of  Doctor 
Guernsey's  special  friends  and  helpers  and  was  marked  as  a 


UP  IN  THE  SIOUX   COUNTRY,    1870-1879     219 

most  suitable  man  for  a  Home  Missionary  Superintendency. 
On  the  resignation  of  Father  Gaylord  of  Nebraska  Mr.  Merrill 
was  appointed  his  successor  in  1870.  He  gave  himself  to  the 
work  so  unsparingly  that  at  the  end  of  three  years,  his  health 
was  broken  hopelessly  and  soon  the  end  was  reached. 

April  5,  1874,  Father  Joseph  Hurlbut  received  his  discharge. 
Of  the  fifty  years  of  his  ministry,  sixteen  were  given  to  New 
York,  three  to  Vermont,  eight  to  Massachusetts,  six  to  Ohio 
and  seventeen  to  Iowa,  all  of  these  to  Fort  Atkinson  and  vicin- 
ity. Here,  for  all  these  years,  labored  this  gifted  man,  poet, 
philosopher,  preacher;  but  most  of  all  a  humble  home  mission- 
ary, deliberately  choosing  the  waste-places  as  a  field  of  labor. 
"Bury  me  without  display,"  he  said,  "with  no  needless  cost, 
in  a  plain  way,  as  becomes  a  poor  old  missionary."  It  could 
hardly  be  otherwise,  for  he  was  a  "poor  old  missionary," 
who  had  given  fifty  years  of  service  to  the  churches  for  his 
"board  and  clothes,"  and  these  of  the  plainest  sort.  "Neither 
he  nor  his  friends  had  means  for  any  other  than  a  plain  burial. 
Plain  were  the  people,  from  farm  and  shop,  that  thronged  his 
funeral,  and  humble  was  the  cemetery  where  they  laid  him. 
As  he  lived  and  died,  so  was  he  buried."  But  when  he  died  a 
royal  soul  passed  up  to  God's  eternal  glory. 

A  month  later.  May  7,  another  royal  soul  was  translated, 
Father  Thomas  Tenney.  For  twenty-five  years  his  home  was 
at  Plymouth,  near  Mason  City.  When  I  was  ordained  at 
Osage  in  1868,  the  brethren  said:  "You  must  get  Father 
Tenney  to  offer  the  ordaining  prayer,  for  nobody  in  all  our 
ministry  prays  like  Father  Tenney."  And  indeed  it  was  so. 
One  of  his  daughters  was  the  wife  of  Cryus  Hamlin  of 
Constantinople. 

August  26  brought  release  to  another  old  soldier  of  the 
cross,  J.  S.  Barris  of  Salem.  He  began  as  a  Methodist  preacher. 
"Charges  were  brought  against  him  for  praying  for  the  negro 
and  attending  a  colored  church."  He  sought  fellowship  in  a 
communion  where  such  conduct  is  not  sin.     Begged  by  his 


220  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

accusers  to  return,  he  said:  "No,  I  have  found  a  church  fellow- 
ship that  affords  me  peace  and  sympathizes  with  my  convic- 
tions of  right.  I  will  remain  where  I  am."  He  gave  Iowa  six 
years  of  good  service  in  his  ripe  old  age. 

The  first  in  the  obituary  list  of  1875  is  Beriah  King  of 
National.  This  was  his  only  parish  in  Iowa.  He  died 
January  19. 

A.  V.  House,  a  flame  of  consuming  zeal,  went  out 
at  Lawler,  May  27,  as  Brother  Manwell  had  done  a  year 
before. 

The  next  funeral  was  in  Algona,  not  yet  that  of  the  old  patri- 
arch, but  that  of  his  successor,  H.  B.  Underwood.  He  had 
had  but  a  year  in  Algona,  but  it  brought  great  results.  Among 
the  converts  of  the  year  was  an  old  soldier  of  the  Crimea, 
one  of  the  "six  hundred"  of  Balaklava.  The  pastor  died 
September  2,  leaving  a  bride  of  two  months  and  a  host  of 
friends  to  mourn  his  untimely  death. 

At  College  Springs  also  there  was  this  year  a  funeral,  Brother 
Davis  R.  Barker  falling  at  his  post  of  honor  and  usefulness, 
October  22. 

And  now  we  are  at  Algona  again,  this  time  with  a  large 
concourse  of  people  from  all  the  countryside,  to  bury  that 
old  "Patriarch  of  the  Prairie,"  Father  Taylor.  We  need  not 
repeat  here  the  story  of  his  eventful  life  and  his  twenty  years 
of  pioneer  service  in  Iowa.  He  preached  in  all  parts  of  the 
county  and  beyond,  in  schoolhouses,  log  cabins,  dug-outs, 
wherever  a  few  people  could  be  gathered  together.  He  taught 
singing  school,  served  as  County  Superintendent  of  Schools, 
was  once  County  Judge,  and  was  identified  with  all  the  impor- 
tant movements  which  went  to  the  making  of  the  county  and 
the  adjoining  regions.  His  activity  did  not  cease  in  his  old 
age.  He  continued  to  take  long  rides  over  the  prairies 
until  his  failing  strength  finally  forced  him  to  desist.  So  he 
passed  on,  this  mild,  gentle,  genial,  forceful  man;  a  man  of 
great  energy  and  of  great  firmness  of  purpose,  methodical, 


UP   IN  THE  SIOUX  COUNTRY,   1870-1879     221 

clearminded,  studious,  irrepressibly  and  irresistibly  humorous,  a 
beautiful  specimen  of  a  Christian  gentleman,  "Father  Taylor," 
one  of  the  treasures  of  our  Congregational  Iowa!  He  died 
February  29,  1876. 

The  obituary  list  of  1877  includes  the  names  of  Orlando 
Clark  of  the  Blind  Asylum  at  Vinton,  the  date  of  his  death, 
April  2;  E.  P.  Whiting  of  De  Witt,  Robert  McGuian  of  Mount 
Pleasant  and  G.  A.  Paddock  of  Rockford.  Mr.  Paddock 
was  for  three  years  my  room-mate  in  Chicago  Theological 
Seminary.  What  tales  he  could  tell  of  the  hardships  of  those 
years!  He  had  "a  place  for  everything  and  everything  in  its 
place — "  with  his  room-mate  it  was  not  so.  The  year  1878 
records  the  death  of  George  W.  Palmer  of  Polk  City  and  Ogden, 
and  Dr.  George  Thatcher  of  Keokuk,  Waterloo,  Iowa  City 
and  the  State  University.  M.  K.  Cross  in  his  obituary  of 
the  President  says:  "Doctor  Thatcher  was  a  strong  man  in 
every  way.  His  powerful  physical  frame  was  matched  with 
a  strong  will.  He  bore  at  times  an  aspect  of  great  severity. 
He  was  mightily  indignant  with  shams  of  every  sort.  He 
had  little  patience  with  'theological  free-thinkers  and  minis- 
terial empirics.'"  And  yet  he  was  great  also  in  his  gentle- 
ness, sympathy  and  charity.  He  declared  on  one  occasion 
with  deep  emotion  that  he  did  not  envy  the  most  brilliant 
orators  and  statesmen  half  so  much  as  he  did  the  pioneer 
brethren  of  the  Association  who,  with  prayer  and  toil  and 
sacrifice,  laid  the  foundation  of  the  Congregational  churches 
of  Iowa. 

The  mortuary  list  for  1879  includes  the  names  of  Philo 
Canfield  of  Washington,  who  died  February  11;  Reed  Wilkin- 
son of  Fairfield,  who  died  August  24;  Eldridge  G.  Carpenter 
of  Golden  Prairie,  who  died  August  25,  and  Joseph  Pickett 
whose  passing  was  November  17.  He  began  his  Home 
Missionary  Superintendency  of  Southern  Iowa  in  July  of 
1869.  He  was  transferred  to  the  Rocky  Mountain  district 
in  April,  1878.     "In  this  service,  on  a  tempestuous  night, 


222  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

in  a  blinding  storm,  intent  upon  his  work  and  oblivious  of 
self,  he  laid  down  his  life  and  was  not  for  God  took  him." 

"Thus,  with  heart  and  strength  unbated, 
From  the  battle's  thickest  strife, 
Like  the  saint  of  old,  translated, 
He  was  ushered  into  life." 


Chapter  XI 
MATURITY,    1880-1889 

Probably  the  word  immaturity,  would  still  more  fitly  express 
the  status  of  Congregational  Iowa  in  the  '80s,  for,  of  course, 
no  church  is  complete,  and  the  demand  for  new  churches  is  as 
great  as  ever,  while  our  colleges  are  little  more  than  the  names 
of  institutions  that  are  yet  to  be,  and  while  the  opportunities 
for  growth  were  never  greater. 

In  1880  Superintendent  Adams  made  report:  "  We  have  done 
a  work  here,  and  there  is  more  to  do,  for  Iowa  is  yet  to  grow. 
Nearly  half  of  her  soil  has  never  yet  been  touched  by  the  plow 
or  inclosed  in  farms.  Her  water-courses  still  flow  unconscious 
of  the  power  in  them.  Her  mines  are  yet  to  be  opened  and  her 
railroads  built.  Something,  much,  has  been  done  but  more 
remains.  The  past  is  brief  but  there  is  much  of  history  in  it. 
We  are  on  the  verge  of  great  possibilities." 

A  year  later  he  wrote  again:  "We  have  a  field,  stimulating 
in  both  history  and  promise.  Looking  backward,  we  see  a 
development  of  this  portion  of  the  great  Home  Missionary 
field  that  has  been  simply  marvelous.  We  entered  it,  some  of 
us,  upon  the  saddle,  fording  streams  and  traversing  prairies, 
to  find  embryo  villages  of  a  few  thousand  people  on  its  eastern 
border.  All  the  interior  and  the  west  were  still  unexplored 
and  untraversed,  save  by  the  red  man,  the  deer,  and  the 
buffalo.  Now  the  whole  area  is  covered  with  a  million  and  a 
half  of  people,  with  railroads  to  whirl  us  within  twenty  miles 
of  the  remotest  of  their  homes;  while  villages,  towns  and  cities 
have  sprung  up  everywhere  on  these  arteries  of  trade — schools, 
colleges  and  churches  accompanying  them.     Now  Iowa  is  no 


224  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

longer  on  the  frontier,  but  central  of  states,  the  highway  of 
the  nation,  with  a  history,  a  character,  a  people  worthy  of  such 
a  position.  We  thank  God  for  what  it  has  achieved,  and  turn 
with  fresh  courage  and  hope  to  our  unfinished  task." 

In  1883  the  question,  "Shall  we  organize  more  churches?" 
was  thus  answered: 

There  is  abundant  opportunity  to  do  so,  and  undoubtedly  the  kingdom 
of  Christ  would  thus  be  greatly  enlarged  and  strengthened.  A  new  church 
has  just  been  organized  at  Victor,  more  recently  one  in  South  Ottumwa, 
and  one  in  East  Des  Moines  will  soon  follow.  In  other  cities  of  the  state 
there  is  the  same  opportunity  and  demand.  A  revival  at  Aurelia  has  just 
resulted  in  the  organization  of  a  church  with  forty-six  members.  A  few 
days  of  evangelistic  labor  at  Gait  makes  imperative  the  formation  of 
another  new  church  there.  "Here  in  Wright  County  we  must  have  two 
more  churches," —  so  says  the  venerable  bishop  of  the  county.  Father 
Sands.  He  also  adds,  "In  Kossuth  County  two  more  churches  are  an 
absolute  necessity:  one  more  church  is  needed  in  Hancock  County,  two  in 
FrankHn  and  three  in  Humboldt."  According  to  the  opinion  of  a  brother 
who  lives  in  the  region,  Clay  County  should  have  four  more  churches, 
O'Brien  two,  Palo  Alto  one,  Pocahontas  one,  Dickinson  two.  Another 
brother  who  well  knows  the  demands  of  the  field  says  that  Cherokee  County, 
which  already  has  four  churches,  should  have  three  more,  and  that  just 
over  the  line  in  Buena  Vista  County  another  church  should  be  organized 
immediately.  A  brother  residing  in  Union  County  says  that  in  that 
county  and  the  seven  counties  clustering  about  it,  at  least  eight  churches 
should  be  organized,  and  no  telling  how  many  more  when  certain  pro- 
jected lines  of  railroad  are  completed.  Along  the  Marion  extension  of  the 
Chicago,  Milwaukee  and  St.  Paul  railroad,  starting  up  new  towns  all  the 
way  from  Marion  to  Council  Bluffs,  we  have  not  organized  a  single  church — 
but  not  because  we  lacked  opportunity.  Central  western  Iowa  we  have 
scarcely  touched,  although  if  we  are  looking  f  or  a  "  Congregational  element " 
we  should  find  it  here  in  abundance. 

There  is,  however,  some  occasion  for  the  caption  of  this 
chapter;  for  we  had  now  reached  the  limits  of  our  territory; 
no  more  great  sections  were  open  to  settlement.  Our  churches 
numbered  more  than  two  hundred,  some  of  them  were 
more  than  forty  years  old.  A  good  many  of  them  were  fairly 
strong  in  membership  and  wealth.    Iowa  College  was  securely 


MATURITY,   1880-1889  225 

founded — unless  overtaken  by  some  great  calamity.  And, 
more  than  all,  the  Pilgrims  of  the  state  were  about  to  venture 
on  self-support. 

As  we  have  already  seen  Congregational  Iowa  is  part  and 
product  of  that  great  movement  called  Home  Missions.  All 
the  prospectors  were  home  missionaries.  All  the  patriarchs 
were  home  missionaries.  Father  Turner  was  missionary  and 
agent  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society.  All  the  members  of 
the  Band  were  home  missionaries.  Each  one  of  them  came  to 
Iowa,  bearing  the  commission  of  the  American  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society,  the  expenses  of  the  journey  being  provided 
by  the  society,  and  for  years  the  bulk  of  their  support  came 
from  its  treasury. 

The  "other  men  labored"  in  the  early  times  under  the 
auspices  of  this  agency,  and  for  forty  years  the  ministers  of 
Iowa  were  for  the  most  part,  home  missionary  pastors,  and  all 
the  early  churches  were  planted  by  this  institution.  The 
Denmark  church  received  aid  from  the  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety, as  did  Burlington,  Dubuque,  Danville,  Davenport,  Fair- 
j&eld,  Lyons,  Farmington,  Keosauqua,  Mount  Pleasant, 
Muscatine,  Maquoketa,  Oskaloosa,  Ottumwa,  Waterloo,  Cedar 
Falls,  Fort  Dodge,  Cedar  Rapids,  Council  Bluffs,  Sioux 
City,  etc. 

Only  a  very  few  churches  escaped  the  tutelage  of  the 
Society.  Among  these  few  are  Keokuk,  Grinnell,  Chester 
Center,  Des  Moines  Plymouth,  Des  Moines  Greenwood, 
Tabor  and  Farragut.  This  is  nearly  the  complete  list.  At 
Keokuk  a  bequest  took  the  place  of  the  Society.  At  Grinnell 
a  bunch  of  preachers  in  the  membership,  serving  the  church 
"without  money  and  without  price,"  constituted  a  home 
missionary  society.  At  Chester  Center  Grinnell  ministers 
and  college  professors  kept  the  church  off  the  Home  Missionary 
list.  Des  Moines  Plymouth  would  have  been  on  the  list  only 
that  the  pastor  J.  M.  Chamberlain  simply  would  not  accept 
Home  Missionary  aid.     Tabor  refused  aid  from  the  American 

16 


226  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Home  Missionary  Society,  on  account  of  its  supposed  com- 
plicity with  slavery,  but  turned  to  the  American  Missionary 
Association  for  assistance.  Farragut  church  was  a  trans- 
plantation from  Illinois,  and  started  strong,  and,  at  times  was 
willing  to  forego  the  luxury  of  a  preacher,  and  so  got  along 
without  aid.  At  Greenwood  two  or  three  men  of  means  organ- 
ized themselves  into  a  home  missionary  society. 

Each  non-home  missionary  church  had  a  good  excuse  for 
its  delinquencies  in  this  respect!  For  forty-five  years,  the  old 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  "the  mother  of  us  all," 
assisted  us  in  laying  the  foundations  of  our  churches  in  Iowa. 
More  than  half  a  million  of  dollars  went  into  the  planting  of 
these  churches,  four-fifths  of  it  coming  from  blessed,  beautiful, 
bountiful  old  New  England.  The  Iowa  churches  put  into  the 
work  of  home  missions  during  these  years  $83,000.  The  date 
of  self-support  is  July  1,  1882.  For  more  than  a  dozen  years 
the  matter  had  been  under  discussion.  In  1869  the  first  steps 
were  taken  for  the  organization  of  a  State  Home  Missionary 
Society  looking  toward  ultimate  self-support.  The  committee 
then  appointed  reported  in  1871  a  constitution  whereby  a  State 
Home  Missionary  Society  was  constituted  identical  with  the 
State  Association, — an  arrangement  which  has  continued  to 
this  day. 

The  closing  paragraph  of  the  report  of  this  committee  is  as 
follows : 

The  committee  therefore  regard  the  time  as  having  fully  come  for  an 
advance  movement  in  the  cause  of  home  missions  for  this  state.  And 
we  recommend  to  the  serious  and  prayerful  deliberation  of  the  Association 
whether  we  ought  not  to  follow  the  example  of  our  brethren  in  Illinois 
and  fix  a  limit — say  the  year  1880 — beyond  which  our  churches  shall 
assume  the  entire  support  of  home  missions  in  Iowa,  and  no  more  ask  aid 
from  the  national  society. 

In  1876  at  the  General  Association,  H.  S.  De  Forest  made  a 
strong  appeal  for  immediately  facing  the  question  of  self- 
support,  and  from  that  time  the  subject  was  constantly  before 


T.  0.  DOUGLASS 

Secretary 


CLAYTON  WELLES 

President 


P.  A.  JOHNSON 

Secretary 


J.  E.  SNOWDEN 

Executive  Commitlee 

G.  H.  LEWIS 

Treasurer 


J.  M.  STURTEVANT 

Executive  Committee 

J.  H.  MERRILL 

Treasurer 


A.  L.  FRISBIE 

Executive  Commitlee 

ANNIE  D.  MERRILL 

Treasurer 


OFFICERS  IOWA  HOME  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY 


MATURITY,    1880-1889  227 

the  churches.  The  national  society  too  began  to  drop  signifi- 
cant hints  that  it  was  time  for  Iowa  to  take  herself  out  of  the 
way  of  other  and  more  needy  claimants  of  the  bounty  of  New 
England. 

In  the  spring  of  1882  the  matter  was  before  the  local  Asso- 
ciations, and  we  came  to  the  state  meeting  at  Ottumwa  pre- 
pared to  take  decisive  action  on  the  great  question  of  self- 
dependence. 

We  took  the  step  with  a  good  deal  of  hesitation.  Many  of 
us,  including  the  old  Superintendent,  and  the  Secretary  that 
was  to  be,  doubted  the  wisdom  of  the  new  adventure.  And, 
with  less  than  two  hundred  churches  in  effective  operation, 
and  more  than  one-half  of  these  missionary  churches,  and  with 
home  missionary  resources  as  recorded  by  the  contributions 
of  the  previous  year,  only  $7,000  it  did  seem  a  foolhardy 
undertaking.  When  the  majority  vote,  taken  at  the  meeting 
of  the  State  Association  at  Ottumwa,  June  2,  1882,  committed 
us  to  the  venture,  some  of  us  said:  " It  is  either  an  inspiration 
or  a  blunder,  and  we  don't  know  which." 

The  great  argument  was  the  pressing  needs  of  the  region 
beyond.  We  said:  "Like  as  not,  Iowa  will  suffer  by  trying 
to  go  alone,  but  no  matter,  the  interests  of  the  great  work  at 
large  demand  that  the  sacrifice  should  be  made.  So  the  great 
argument  prevailed,  and  we  started  out  on  the  great  experiment 
of  self-support,  the  state  organization  bearing  the  title,  "The 
Iowa  Congregational  Home  Missionary  Society,"  the  first 
Secretary,  Rev.  T.  0.  Douglass,  of  Osage,  and  the  first  execu- 
tive committee:  Dr.  A.  L.  Frisbie,  chairman;  its  other 
members.  Dr.  J.  M.  Sturtevant,  Rev.  J.  E.  Snowden,  Rev. 
W.  P.  Bennett,  and  J.  H.  Merrill,  Esq.,  of  the  Plymouth 
church,  Des  Moines. 

Why  was  not  the  old  Superintendent  retained  as  Secretary? 
A  large  majority  of  us  wanted  the  old  hand  at  the  helm  as  we 
were  passing  into  strange  waters,  but  there  were  a  few  who 
thought  him  too  good,  too  delicate,  too  refined  and  spiritual 


228  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

for  the  rugged  service.  They  wanted  a  man  with  more  muscle 
in  his  arm,  more  bronze  in  his  cheek,  and  more  cheek  on  his 
face — especially  for  the  "beggarly"  part  of  the  work;  so  the 
choice  fell  upon  the  man  from  Osage. 

That  the  experiment  of  self-support  was  not  a  blunder  the 
achievements  of  the  first  decade — and  now  of  almost  three 
decades — will  testify.  The  first  decade  was  not  especially 
favorable  for  rapid  development.  There  was  no  great  influx 
of  population.  Those  were  years  of  immigration  indeed,  but 
of  migration  also.  On  March  20,  1883,  a  train  on  the  Mil- 
waukee Road  pulled  out  of  Mason  City  west-bound  with 
four  hundred  and  twenty-five  passengers,  at  least  ninety 
per  cent,  of  them  bound  for  Dakota,  and  this  was  repeated  day 
after  day  for  weeks  and  months. 

Late  in  the  decade  there  was  a  change;  and  our  people  were 
coming  back  from  the  Dakotas  and  the  Coast,  with  drooping 
heads  and  empty  purses,  glad  enough  to  get  back  into  the 
"garden  of  Eden";  but  on  the  whole,  the  decade  was  one  of 
slow  growth,  the  increase  in  population  being  only  287,000  as 
against  430,000  in  the  previous  decade. 

Nevertheless,  in  those  first  ten  years  of  self-support,  more 
than  sixty  churches  were  organized;  the  net  increase  of 
membership  was  nearly  ten  thousand;  the  missionary  force 
was  enlarged  by  forty  men;  and  the  home  missionary  contri- 
butions increased  from  $7,400  to  $20,780,  while  the  church 
buildings  increased  from  one  hundred  and  eighty-one  to  two 
hundred  and  fifty-seven,  and  the  parsonages  from  forty-three 
to  one  hundred  and  five. 

Self-support  was  voted  June  2,  to  take  effect  July  1.  Be- 
tween these  two  dates  Iowa  Congregationalism  was  overtaken 
at  one  of  its  centers  by  a  great  calamity.  Sunday  morning, 
June  18,  the  news  was  flashed  everywhere  that  the  evening 
before  a  mighty  whirlwind  had  struck  Grinnell,  that  a  large 
part  of  the  town  was  in  ruins  and  the  college  utterly  demolished. 
This  was  the  dreadful  work  of  a  storm  or  storms,  which  passed 


MATURITY,    1880-1889  229 

through  almost  the  entire  length  of  the  state  from  Carroll 
County  to  Burlington,  and  on  into  Illinois.  Much  damage 
was  done  to  property  and  an  occasional  life  lost  at  various 
points  along  this  path,  but  the  fury  of  the  storm  centered  in 
Grinnell  and  its  vicinity.  Her  property  loss  was  not  less  than 
a  half  miUion,  while  of  the  fifty-seven  killed  in  the  cyclone, 
thirty-nine  belonged  to  her.  The  following  is  one  of  the 
many  descriptions  of  the  disaster: 

An  hour  before  sunset  the  northwestern  sky  was  hung  with  conical, 
downpointing  clouds,  the  Hke  of  which  none  of  us  had  ever  before  seen. 
After  sunset  and  even  when  the  darkness  was  gathering,  the  western  sky 
half  way  to  the  zenith  was  lurid,  brilliant  and  unearthly,  an  ominous  sight 
which  fascinated  us  while  it  filled  us  with  an  undefined  dread.  Almost 
before  the  brilliant  apparition  in  the  west  had  disappeared  the  storm  broke 
upon  us.  A  distant  heavy  roar  was  heard  like  the  rumblings  of  a  dozen 
mighty  freight  trains.  With  a  dense  dark  cloud  of  dust  the  wind  came 
sweeping  leaves,  branches  of  trees,  chimneys,  houses  and  everything  in 
its  awful  pathway.  The  rain  came  like  a  waterspout,  blinding  flashes  of 
lightning  were  continuous;  and  amid  the  wreck  and  roar  came  total  dark- 
ness, wild  confusion  and  chaos.  As  the  tornado  bore  down  upon  us,  most 
of  the  terror-stricken  people  fled  to  their  cellars  for  such  safety  as  they 
could  afford.  All  say  they  felt  the  monster  coming  and  that  it  had  the 
power  and  rock  of  an  earthquake  in  it.  It  seemed  to  strike  a  sliding  or 
gyrating  blow,  as  if  its  mighty  power  were  taking  them  in  a  circle  to  com- 
press them  to  utter  demolition.  At  places  it  would  appear  to  crush  a 
house  together  as  in  a  vise;  then  it  would  expand  itself  hurling  the  debris 
in  every  direction  and  carrying  it  miles  away.  In  places  it  would  cut  off 
the  front  or  side  or  take  out  the  end  of  a  building.  Again  it  would  lift  a 
house  from  its  foundation  and  drop  it  in  a  complete  wreck  near  by.  Some 
houses  were  crushed  into  shapeless  ruins  and  their  rooms  were  filled  with 
the  fragments  of  other  buildings.  A  phaeton  was  taken  from  a  barn  and 
its  wreck  lodged  in  a  tree  thirty  feet  from  the  ground. 

The  college  buildings  were  struck  with  terrific  force:  the  stone  building 
was  unroofed  and  the  upper  story  destroyed  while  the  brick  building 
went  down  in  a  mass  of  ruins.  Seven  students  were  in  their  rooms  in  the 
third  story,  three  were  killed  and  others  severely  injured.  One-fifth  of 
the  town  was  in  ruins  in  less  than  ten  minutes  from  the  time  it  was  struck. 
Dead,  dying  and  mangled  forms  of  men,  women  and  children  were  strewn 
around,  torn,  bruised  and  mutilated  in  every  conceivable  way,  so  covered 
with  mud  that  they  could  not  at  first  be  recognized.    Thirty  loaded  freight 


230  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

cars  were  hurled  in  a  confused  wreck  from  the  Central  Railroad,  and 
three  miles  away  an  approaching  Rock  Island  train  was  caught  up  and 
thrown  into  the  ditch,  crushing  to  death  two  men  in  its  ruins. 

Such,  in  part,  is  the  tragic  tale  of  the  unchaining  of  elemental 
forces  against  the  frail  fabrics  constructed  by  human  hands. 
But  stronger  and  more  majestic  still  is  the  note  of  human  faith 
which  rises  from  the  midst  of  the  ruins  and  the  very  hearts 
of  those  who  were  stricken;  the  behef  that  the  Lord  was  in 
the  whirlwind,  and  that  this  visitation  was,  under  his  provi- 
dence, to  lead  the  town  and  college  out  to  better  things. 

This  faith,  justified  by  the  works  of  such  men  as  J.  B.  Grin- 
nell  and  President  Magoun,  appealing  to  the  sympathy  of 
thousands  to  whom  Grinnell  and  Iowa  College  now  became 
household  words,  brought  the  fulfillment  of  its  own  hopes, 
and  the  "cyclone"  experience  became  a  new  birth  to  the 
college — the  beginning  of  a  larger  life.  When  the  storm 
struck,  the  property  of  the  college  was,  roughly  speaking, 
endowment,  $90,000,  grounds,  $10,000,  buildings  and  equip- 
ments, $100,000.  Two  buildings  were  standing  on  the  campus 
and  there  never  had  been  more,  though  the  foundation  for  a 
third  was  laid.  The  annual  attendance  was  between  three  hun- 
dred and  three  hundred  and  fifty.  Notwithstanding  the  loss 
through  the  storm  of  some  $75,000  worth  of  property,  the 
series  of  college  catalogues  shows  scarcely  a  perceptible  check 
to  mark  the  great  disaster.  A  slight  decrease  in  students  for 
the  first  two  years  soon  gave  place  to  a  decided  increase.  The 
catalogue  following  the  tornado  reports  two  new  buildings,  and 
within  five  years  the  two  had  become  four,  the  library  was 
larger  than  ever  before,  the  buildings  were  on  a  new  and  large 
scale,  and  the  endowment  somewhat  increased.  The  dona- 
tions to  the  college  immediately  following  the  great  disaster 
amounted  to  about  $100,000. 

Another  cyclone  struck  the  state  only  a  few  days  later,  the 
twenty-seventh  day  of  June,  in  the  shape  of  a  constitutional 
prohibitory  amendment.     Our  ministers  and  members  had  a 


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MATURITY,    1880-1889  231 

conspicuous  part  in  the  great  campaign.  One  of  our  number, 
however,  for  a  consideration,  took  the  stump  for  the  other 
side.  But  with  substantial  unanimity  we  rejoiced  in  this 
victory  for  temperance,  soon  to  grieve  when  the  amendment 
was  declared  unconstitutional,  to  rejoice  again  in  1884  over 
statutory  prohibition,  and  finally  to  endure  with  mortification 
and  disgust  the  Mulct  Law  nuUification  brought  in  by  political 
intrigue. 

In  1882  also  the  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian  En- 
deavor began  to  take  its  place  among  the  educational,  evange- 
listic and  missionary  agencies  of  our  churches,  the  first  church 
to  organize  an  Endeavor  Society  in  Iowa  being  the  Congre- 
gational church  of  Monticello,  March  28,  1883.  For  years 
almost  every  week  brought  in  the  report  of  new  societies 
organized. 

The  first  Junior  Endeavor  Society  in  the  state  or  in  the 
world  was  at  Tabor,  organized  under  the  suggestion  and  by 
the  inspiration  of  the  pastor,  J.  W.  Cowan;  the  date,  March 
24,  1884.  A  close  second  was  the  one  at  Oilman;  Mrs.  Slocum 
even  contending  that  the  Oilman  organization  was  the  earlier. 

Among  the  new  evangelistic  and  missionary  agencies  of  the 
decade  we  count  as  one  of  great  value  the  State  Sunday  School 
Superintendent,  an  office  now  appearing  for  the  first  time.  For 
many  years  the  Sunday  school  work  of  the  state  was  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society,  but  in  May,  1882, 
just  as  we  assumed  self-support,  the  Sunday  school  work  of 
the  denomination  was  committed  to  the  Publishing  Society, 
the  name  of  that  organization  henceforth  being  "The  Congre- 
gational Sunday  School  and  Publishing  Society."  In  1883  the 
Society  began  to  put  Superintendents  into  the  various  states 
where  Sunday  school  missionary  work  was  especially  needed. 
In  1884  J.  R,  Knodell  of  Mason  City  was  appointed  Superin- 
tendent for  Iowa  and  began  his  work  November  1 .  His  excel- 
lent services  were  terminated  by  a  physical  break-down  after 
little  more  than  a  year  of  strenuous  activity.     From  April  1, 


232  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

1886,  the  office  was  filled  and  magnified  by  good  Brother  C.  A. 
Towle,  who  continued  in  the  service  until  the  day  of  his  death, 
February  22,  1899;  his  successors  in  office  being  Brother  0.  O. 
Smith,  busy  and  useful  in  the  work  for  five  and  a  half  years; 
and  Dr.  H.  W.  Tuttle,  loved,  trusted  and  honored  by  every- 
body, the  present  Superintendent  of  Sunday  schools,  and 
General  Missionary  of  the  Iowa  Home  Missionary  Society. 

Still  other  Christian  forces  were  in  this  decade  set  in  opera- 
tion in  the  founding  of  academies,  at  Wilton,  September  1, 
1880;  and  at  Pattersonville  (Hull),  September  22,  1884.  These 
schools  did  well  for  a  season,  but,  lacking  a  proper  local  con- 
stituency, circumscribed  by  the  growth  of  high  schools,  and 
somehow  failing  to  enlist  the  support  of  the  denomination, 
neither  was  able  to  gain  a  permanent  place.  In  1896  Wilton 
Academy  gave  place  to  the  German-English  College  which 
in  1904  removed  to  Redfield,  South  Dakota,  while  Hull 
Academy,  about  the  same  time  closed  its  doors. 

We  Congregationalists  of  Iowa  have  made  a  failure  of  our 
Academy  work.  The  Denmark  school  has  a  noble  record, 
but  its  present  life  is  feeble,  and  the  future  is  not  promising. 
Bradford  Academy,  originating  in  the  heart  and  brain  of 
J.  K.  Nutting,  and  made  a  blessed  reality,  in  the  fall  of  1865, 
by  the  genius  and  enthusiasm  and  sacrifices  of  its  first  Prin- 
cipal, W.  P.  Bennett,  ran  well  for  a  season,  scores  of  boys  and 
girls  incited  by  it  to  a  great  hunger  and  thirst  for  a  higher 
education  and  the  higher  life,  but  at  the  end  of  a  dozen  years, 
submitted  to  the  inevitable  and  closed  its  doors. 

The  High  School  has  killed  and  supplanted,  but  it  has  not 
filled  the  place  of  the  old  Academy.  We  ought  to  have  today 
at  least  four  strong  flourishing  schools  of  secondary  grade  in 
the  four  quarters  of  the  state. 

This  decade  was  signalled  by  the  advent  of  "Congregational 
Iowa."  The  first  issue  was  in  January,  1883.  There  has  never 
been  a  stupid  issue.  Doctor  Sturtevant  carried  the  chief 
editorial  burdens  for  a  time^  and  then  for  years  the  responsi- 


MRS.  D.  P.  BREED  MRS.  E.  M.  VITTUM  MRS.  T.  0.  DOUGLASS 

President  Secretary  Children's  Work  and  President  President 


¥ 


MISS  ELL.\  E.  M.\RSH  MRS.  H.  H.  ROBBINS 

Secretary  Secretary 

MRS.  M.  J.  NICHOSON  MRS.  H.  K.  EDSON  MISS  BELLE  L.  BENTLEY 

Treasurer  Treasurer  Treasurer 

OFFICERS  W.  H.  M.  U.  OF  IOWA  1886-1911 


MATURITY,    1880-1889  233 

bility  was  on  the  shoulders  of  Doctor  Frisbie.  All  the  while 
Secretary  Douglass  carried  the  financial  burdens  of  the  paper, 
and  in  later  years,  the  care  of  its  editorial  columns.  It  has 
been  an  important  agency  in  the  work  of  the  state.  "  May  its 
shadow  never  grow  less,"  and  may  it  "grow  brighter  and 
brighter  unto  the  perfect  day." 

In  this  decade  also,  the  Woman's  Home  Missionary  Union 
began  its  blessed  ministry  to  the  state  and  to  all  the  homeland 
missions.  At  the  meeting  of  the  State  Association  held  in 
Plymouth  Church,  Des  Moines,  in  1877,  Superintendent 
Adams  introduced  a  very  modest  resolution  to  the  effect  that 
the  Home  Missionary  Society  would  appreciate  the  sym- 
pathetic and  systematic  assistance  of  the  women  of  the 
churches.  The  resolution  was  promptly,  emphatically,  and 
somewhat  rudely,  voted  down.  But  none  the  less  the  resolu- 
tion carried  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  many  of  the  women, 
and,  in  fullness  of  time,  June  4,  1886,  at  Marion,  the  Woman's 
Home  Missionary  Union  was  organized  under  the  guiding 
hand  of  Mrs.  T.  0.  Douglass  who  was  for  ten  years  president 
of  the  society.  For  the  past  six  years  that  office  has  been 
filled  by  Mrs.  D.  P.  Breed. 

The  gleanings  of  the  good  women  of  the  Union  are  summar- 
ized as  follows: 

I.  C.  H.  M.  S $84,698 

A.  M.  A 30,580 

Education  Society 7,860 

C.  S.  S.  and  P.  S 2,393 

C.  C.  B.  S 5,274 

Ministerial  Relief 503 

Expenses  and  Specials 3,219 

Total $134,527 

Ruth,  the  Moabitess  in  the  field  of  Boaz,  did  not  glean  so  well. 

In  this  first  decade  of  self-support  still  other  new  missionary 

agencies  were  introduced.     Carl  Hess  was  sent  out  as  a  general 

missionary  among  the  Germans.     So  also  we  sent  John  Musjl 


234  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

to  be  missionary  among  the  thirty  thousand  Bohemians  in  the 
state.  D.  E.  Skinner  was  made  pastor  at  large  in  Northwestern 
Iowa, and  A.M. Beaman  down  in  Southwestern'Iowa ;  and  later, 
R.  W.  Hughes  in  Central  Iowa.  We  put  Brother  J.  S.  Norris 
and  Brother  B.  C.  Tillitt  and  Brother  H.  M.  Skeels  into  the 
the  field  as  home  missionary  evangelists. 

With  these  general  workers,  and  over  one  hundred  mis- 
sionary pastors,  the  Home  Missionary  Society  was  doing  "land- 
oflEice  business";  and  that  is  why  sixty-six  churches  were  or- 
ganized in  the  decade,  and  nearly  ten  thousand  added  to  the 
membership  of  the  churches.  The  list  of  the  churches  organ- 
ized in  this  decade  may  be  found  in  Chapter  XVI.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  the  list  shows  a  drift  of  population  to  the 
West  and  especially  to  the  Northwest.  Thirty-two  of  the 
new  churches  were  in  Northwestern  Iowa,  and  more  than  fifty 
in  the  western  half.  Thirty  of  the  churches  were  on  new  lines 
of  railroad.  Records  like  the  following  abound:  "Castana: — 
This  church  was  organized  by  A.  M.  Beaman  the  14th  day  of 
last  August,  just  one  day  before  the  railroad  track-layers 
reached  the  town."  Baxter,  Berwick  and  Hudson  are 
early  passengers  on  the  "Diagonal,"  "Mapleleaf"  (Chicago 
and  Great  Western).  North  Park  and  Pilgrim  churches  of 
Des  Moines  indicate  that  the  city  was  growing,  also  that 
Doctor  Frisbie  was  not  absorbed  in  his  own  parish,  but 
was  planning  and  working  for  the  building  up  of  Christian 
churches  in  the  Congregational  way  throughout  the  whole 
state. 

At  Doon,  "Bonnie  Doon,"  in  a  new  community  on  a  new 
road,  Congregationalism  proved  to  be  the  "solvent  of  the 
sects,"  although  the  sects  outnumber  the  Congregational  stock 
three  or  four  to  one.  It  is  said  that  Congregationalism  rode 
into  Hawarden  on  the  cow-catcher  of  the  first  train.  A  church 
building  and  the  round-house  went  up  together.  Ionia 
starting  out  with  ninety-five  members,  was  the  result  of  an 
evangelistic  campaign  conducted  by  Rev.  N,  L.  Packard  of 


MATURITY,    1880-1889  S&S 

Nashua.  He  was  called  to  attend  a  funeral  in  the  community, 
and  turned  the  service  into  an  evangelistic  meeting.  The 
meetings  went  on  until  this  number  were  ready  for  church 
membership.  Later  he  added  two  other  churches,  Bassett 
and  Chickasaw,  by  a  like  series  of  meetings  held  in  these 
communities. 

Larchwood  was  the  name  of  a  twenty-two  thousand  acre 
farm  owned  by  Sir  Richard  Sykes  of  Manchester,  England. 
At  the  first  service  held  on  the  farm,  by  Secretary  Doug- 
lass, he  gave  out  what  to  him  were  familiar  hymns,  but 
to  his  surprise,  English  carols,  utterly  foreign  to  Iowa 
soil,  were  sung.  The  church,  however,  has  since  been  an- 
nexed to  the  United  States,  and  has  become  just  like  the 
rest  of  us. 

For  a  time  Father  Upton's  work  seemed  utterly  lost  in 
Dickinson  County,  but  in  this  decade  he  lived  again,  and  his 
work  survived  in  the  organization  of  the  Milford  church.  The 
church  building  has  been  dedicated  three  times.  Replying 
to  his  third  invitation  to  the  dedicatory  service  Secretary 
Douglass  answered,  "Yes,  certainly,  I  always  attend  the 
Milford  dedications." 

The  Ottumwa  South  and  Swedish  churches  of  this  decade 
show  that  Brother  Spaulding's  field  where  he  found  but  one 
Congregationalist  in  1843,  was  growing.  When  the  South- 
side  church  was  organized  in  1883  there  was  not  a  single  Con- 
gregationalist in  the  membership.  A  few  years  ago  this 
church  absorbed  the  Methodist  Protestant  church  of  the 
community,  and  by  paying  its  debts,  acquired  its  property. 
Now,  the  name  changed  to  Plymouth,  the  membership  is 
three  hundred  and  twenty-seven. 

Primghar  court-house  stands  at  the  exact  geographical 
center  of  O'Brien  County.  The  unusual  name  is  coined  from 
the  initial  letters  of  the  names  of  the  county  officers  and  others 
interested  in  the  locating  of  the  town.  The  naming  of  the 
town  is  embalmed  in  verse,  beginning  as  follows: 


236  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

"Pumphrey,  the  treasurer,  drives  the  first  nail, 
Roberts,  the  donor,  is  quick  on  the  trail, 
Inman  dips  slyly  the  first  letter  in, 
McCormick  adds  M  which  make  the  full  Prim; 
Green,  thinking  of  groceries,  gives  then  the  G, 
Hayes  drops  then  an  H  without  asking  a  fee, 
Albright,  the  joker,  with  his  jokes  all  at  par, 
Rerick  brings  up  the  rear  and  crowns  all  Primghar." 

It  is  reported  that  a  man  coming  from  the  East  with  a  yoke 
of  oxen,  lest  he  should  forget  the  place  of  his  destination, 
named  one  of  the  oxen  Prim  and  the  other  Ghar.  The  church 
organized  there  in  1888  has  enlarged  its  building  three  times, 
and  has  npw  a  membership  of  nearly  two  hundred. 

The  Pilgrim  and  Mayflower  churches  of  Sioux  City  indicate 
the  prosperity  of  that  city  and  of  that  portion  of  the  state. 
The  Pilgrim  grew  weary  of  the  journey  of  life  some  years  ago 
but  the  Mayflower  remains  in  perpetual  bloom.  The  church 
has  now  a  fine  property  and  a  membership  of  about  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty. 

In  this  decade  we  have  our  first  "second"  crop  of  churches. 
All  the  early  churches,  however  small  the  community,  took  the 
title,  "The  First  Congregational  Church"  of  such  and  such  a 
place,  intimating  the  expectation  that  other  churches  would 
follow. 

Previous  to  1880,  the  "second"  churches  were  the  Dubuque 
Immanuel,  the  Des  Moines  Moriah,  and  the  New  Hampton 
German.  Now,  in  this  decade,  as  already  noted,  two  new 
churches  were  organized  in  Des  Moines,  two  in  Sioux  City, 
and  also  the  Dubuque  Summit,  the  Avoca  German,  and  the 
Britt  Scandinavian. 

In  this  decade,  too,  will  be  noted  a  fresh  cluster  of  foreign 
churches.  The  first  church  of  Iowa  with  an  un-english 
tongue,  was  our  Long  Creek  Welsh  church,  organized  in 
1845.  Following  this  came  Old  Man's  Creek,  Flint  Creek, 
Williamsburg,  Georgetown,  Givin,  Gomer,  Beacon,  and 
Templeton,     Our  German  Pilgrims  organized  their  first  church 


MATURITY,   1880-1889  237 

at  Dubuque  in  1847,  and  then  at  Garnavillo,  Sherrill,  Farmers- 
burg,  Muscatine,  Davenport,  Grandview,  Pine  Creek,  Lansing 
Ridge,  Fort  Atkinson  and  New  Hampton,  and  others  now 
extinct. 

To  these  churches  of  alien  tongue,  were  now  added  in  the 
first  decade  of  self-support,  the  German  churches  of  Avoca, 
Minden,  Shelby,  Moville,  Des  Moines  and  Sioux  City;  the 
Ottumwa  Swedish;  Wesley  and  Britt  Dano-Norwegian; 
Bohemian  missions  were  started  at  Iowa  City,  Luzerne  and 
Vining;  the  Scandinavian  and  Bohemian  work  having  its 
beginning  in  this  decade.  The  fine  fresh  cluster  of  German 
churches  was  gathered  for  us  by  our  German  general  mis- 
sionary, Carl  Hess,  a  graduate  of  Iowa  College,  and  a  son 
of  our  early  German  Missionary  at  Garnavillo  and  Farmers- 
burg.  All  honor  to  Carl  and  to  his  brother  Henry  that  they 
stayed  by  the  German  work  of  the  state,  to  the  end  of  their 
service  here,  when  they  might  have  done  better  for  themselves 
in  English  churches! 

From  this  decade  of  the  '80s  until  now  we  have  been  preach- 
ing the  gospel  to  our  people  in  six  different  languages — the 
English,  the  German,  the  Welsh,  the  Swede,  the  Dano- 
Norwegian,  and  the  Bohemian.  For  a  few  years  we  gave 
the  gospel  to  two  or  three  French  settlements  in  their  own 
language.  Probably  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  in  Iowa, 
"tongues  shall  cease."  Davenport  Bethlehem,  once  partly 
German,  is  now  wholly  Enghsh,  and  in  the  Old  German 
Church  by  merging  with  Bethlehem  into  the  Berea  Church, 
the  German  is  practically  ehminated.  Grandview  once  wholly 
German,  is  now  wholly  Enghsh,  and  Enghsh  has  been  intro- 
duced more  or  less  into  all  our  German  churches.  Our  Welsh 
people  chng  to  "the  mother-tongue  which  they  love  so  well," 
calling  it  "the  language  of  Canaan,"  but  Beacon  and  Gomer 
have  been  born  again  with  the  new  tongue,  and  English  has 
been  introduced  more  or  less  into  all  the  Welsh  churches.  We 
are  in  no  haste  to  pass  an  "act  of  uniformity"  as  to  language, 


238  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

for  it  is  our  pleasure  to  give  the  gospel  to  the  people,  in  "the 
languages  in  which  they  were  born/'  as  long  as  it  may  be  prof- 
itable to  do  so,  but  the  language  of  the  common  schools  is 
sure  to  become  the  language  of  the  churches. 

The  decade  of  the  '80s  was  one  of  church  dedications  far 
beyond  any  preceding.  The  number  is  fifty-five  as  shown 
in  Chapter  XVI.  Each  one  of  these  dedications  deserves  a 
paragraph  if  not  a  page,  but  space  forbids.  Belmond  church 
was  sixteen  years  of  age  when  its  first  house  was  dedicated,  and, 
in  connection  with  that  service.  Father  Sands,  pastor  already 
for  fourteen  years,  was  installed!  At  the  Otho  dedication 
in  December,  1883,  it  was  said:  "Although  this  church  was 
organized  in  1855  this  is  the  first  house  of  worship.  They 
have  worshipped  all  these  twenty-eight  years  in  private  houses 
and  in  the  schoolhouse.  Fully  one  half  of  the  great  congre- 
gation present  had  never  attended  service  in  a  church  before." 
Of  the  Rock  Rapids  building  it  was  said:  "It  is  a  beautiful 
building,  inside  and  out,  but  not  a  chimney  in  the  house  will 
draw  if  the  wind  happens  to  be  in  the  wrong  direction.  When 
will  architects  learn  to  consider  these  important  matters?" 

In  this  decade  we  come  to  the  beginning  of  the  semi-centen- 
nials. The  first  is  the  semi-centennial  of  the  work  of  Home 
Missions.  This  began  in  Dubuque  in  1836.  In  1886  we  held 
the  meeting  of  the  association  in  Marion.  At  the  Jubilee 
service  held  Sunday  evening  the  question  was  asked,  "Who  in 
this  audience  was  hving  in  Iowa  in  1836?"  No  one  responded. 
Then  all  the  ministers  in  the  audience  were  requested  to  rise. 
The  question,  "Who  of  you  were  in  pastoral  work  in  Iowa 
five  years  ago?"  seated  about  half  of  this  company.  As  the 
questions  went  on,  "Who  were  here  ten,  fifteen,  twenty, 
twenty-five  years  ago?"  the  numbers  grew  fewer  and  fewer 
until  only  four  were  left  to  "witness  the  good  confession"  of 
forty  years'  service.  Three  of  these  had  to  go  down  at  the 
next  question,  adding  five  years  more,  and  Brother  Julius 
A.  Reed  was  left  standing  alone.     In  his  address  on  that  occa- 


MATURITY,   1880-1889  239 

sion  he  spoke  of  the  strange  distrust  of  Iowa  Congregational- 
ism which  prevailed  in  the  minds  of  New  England  ministers 
in  the  early  days;  how  it  came  to  be  and  how  it  was  at  last 
removed;  and  he  told  of  our  escape  from  the  bondage  of  the 
Presbyterians!  Doctor  Adams  gave  us  the  history  of  Iowa 
Home  Missions  by  decades.  Doctor  Robbins,  our  oldest 
pastor,  gave  us  a  few  glimpses  of  early  missionary  experiences, 
and  Doctor  Frisbie  gave  us  a  prophecy  of  "The  Iowa  to  Be." 

Later  in  the  decade  seven  churches  passed  their  fiftieth 
milestone.  Denmark  held  her  Jubilee.  May  3, 1888.  Addresses 
ses  were  made  by  Reed,  Adams,  Salter  and  Secretary  Douglass. 
At  the  time  of  the  celebration  the  church  had  its  fourth  pastor, 
Asa  Turner  serving  for  thirty  years,  E.  Y.  Swift  for  thirteen, 
W.  E.  De  Riemer  three  years,  and  A.  K.  Fox  was  in  the  midst 
of  a  pastorate  of  six  years.  The  accessions  to  membership 
in  the  fifty  years  numbered  seven  hundred  and  ninety-four, 
but  more  than  a  hundred  had  died,  four  hundred  and  thirty- 
nine  had  been  passed  on  to  other  churches  and  only  a  member- 
ship of  one  hundred  fifty-nine  remained. 

"Near  the  church  spire  stands  the  school,"  the  Denmark 
Academy,  From  church  and  school — twin  institutions  one 
and  inseparable — have  gone  out  to  bless  the  world  good  men 
and  women  by  the  scores,  to  be  ministers  and  ministers' 
wives,  missionaries,  teachers,  physicians,  lawyers,  heads  of 
academies  and  colleges,  and  to  adorn  all  the  humbler  walks 
of  fife.  It  is  doubtful  whether  any  other  community  within 
the  state  so  small  as  this  has  been  a  greater  force  in  the  world 
and  in  the  Kingdom  of  God  than  this  community  at  Denmark. 

Burlington  observed  its  semi-centennial  with  an  historical 
address  by  the  pastor,  November  25,  1888,  and  by  a  reception 
given  to  the  old  people  of  the  congregation,  November  27. 
For  the  first  five  years  of  its  existence  this  church  had  no 
settled  pastor,  but  had  occasional  preaching  from  missionaries 
of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society;  then,  in  1843  came 
Horace  Hutchinson  of  the  Band,  and  then  in  1846,  William 


240  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Salter.  At  the  end  of  fifty  years  the  church's  membership 
was  a  Httle  beyond  the  three  hundred  mark. 

The  celebration  at  Dubuque,  beginning  Sunday,  May  12, 
1889,  was  an  elaborate  affair  and  full  of  interest  and  good  cheer 
from  the  opening  hour  to  the  close.  The  homes  of  the  pastors 
of  the  fifty  years  were  divided  by  the  full  width  of  the  continent 
and  three  of  them  were  over  seventy  years  of  age,  but  they  were 
all  there  with  the  exception  of  Jesse  Guernsey,  deceased. 
Sunday  morning  "the  air  was  fairly  electric  with  joyous 
anticipations  as  the  pastors  took  seats  on  the  platform." — 
Holbrook,  Whiting,  Bingham,  Harrington  and  C.  O.  Brown 
the  pastor  at  that  time.  Of  course  Doctor  Holbrook,  for 
twenty-one  years  pastor  and  now  eighty-one  years  of  age, 
preached  the  sermon.  The  week  was  given  up  to  the  cele- 
bration. There  was  a  communion  service.  C.  E.  Harrington 
gave  an  address  on  "The  Heroic  Age  of  Congregationalism." 
There  were  sessions  for  reminiscences  and  a  banquet  and 
addresses  by  all  the  old  pastors.  Then  letters  and  papers 
and  some  more  addresses.  Doctor  McClure,  speaking  of 
the  war-times  said:  "The  pulpit  of  this  church  gave  forth  no 
uncertain  sound.  There  were  members  of  the  church  born 
and  bred  in  slave  states  who  held  to  the  doctrine  of  states' 
rights  and  the  theory  that  African  slavery  was  not  only  right, 
but  Christian,  who,  after  the  deUvery  of  a  certain  sermon  by 
Doctor  Holbrook,  left  us,  seceded  and  were  no  more  with  us 
forever.  And  the  old  bell  that  hung  in  the  tower,  it  too,  was 
true.  It  tolled  out  its  sad  notes  when  the  news  of  defeat  was 
brought  to  us  and  gave  out  its  loudest  notes  of  cheer  when 
victory  perched  upon  our  banners.  Its  final  notes  of  victory 
were  too  much  for  bell-metal  to  endure  and  it  burst  its  bands 
while  ringing  out  its  gladdest  notes  for  liberty  and  union." 
The  church  register  at  the  time  of  this  celebration  showed  a 
membership  of  three  hundred  and  fifty -one. 

The  Danville  church  came  to  its  fiftieth  anniversary  June 
30,  1889,  with  its  sixth  pastor,  L.  T.  Rowley,  and  sixty-one 


MATURITY,    1880-1889  241 

members.  A  month  later,  July  30,  the  Davenport  church 
was  fifty  years  of  age.  A.  W.  Archibald  was  pastor.  He  had 
been  preceded  by  Oliver  Emerson,  A.  B.  Hitchcock,  Ephraim 
Adams,  G.  F.  Magoun,  WiUiam  Windsor,  J.  A.  Hamilton,  J.  G. 
Merrill  and  M.  L.  Williston.  The  membership  was  three 
hundred  and  four. 

December  21  found  Fairfield  with  its  twelfth  pastor,  A,  E. 
Arnold,  JuUus  A.  Reed  being  the  first,  and  a  membership  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty-six. 

Lyons  passed  its  fiftieth  milestone  December  31,  1889. 
During  the  fifty  years  twenty  different  ministers  supplied 
the  church  for  a  longer  or  shorter  time,  perhaps  a  dozen  of 
them  staying  long  enough  to  entitle  them  to  be  called  pastors. 
The  longest  pastorate  was  that  of  Sidney  Crawford,  covering 
a  period  of  ten  years.  Lorenzo  White  was  pastor  for  three 
years  and  Doctor  Magoun  and  S.  M.  Boss  for  four  years  each. 
In  1889  the  membership  was  one  hundred  and  sixty-three. 

In  this  decade  we  gave  hearty  welcome  to  many  excellent 
men.  Some  of  these  came  to  stay  awhile,  and  some  to  stay. 
Of  this  latter  class  was  G.  M.  Orvis,  the  biggest  Congregational 
preacher  in  Iowa.  He  came  in  1880.  He  has  had  here  three 
pastorates,  being  now  in  his  sixteenth  year  at  Summit,  Dubuque. 
He  has  welcomed  into  the  fellowship  of  Summit  Church  more 
than  six  hundred  people.  The  present  membership  is  three 
hundred  and  eighty-three.  Brother  J.  H.  Skiles  was  fresh  from 
Andover  in  1882.  He  is  preeminently  a  Biblical  student 
and  preacher,  his  sermons  always  fresh  and  refreshing.  He  is 
doing  a  splendid  work  at  Eldon.  Wilson  Denney,  for  a  while 
at  Clinton,  for  a  long  while  at  Charles  City,  is  now  beginning 
an  extended  pastorate  at  Cedar  Rapids,  for  this  is  his  habit, 
his  social,  pastoral  and  preaching  qualifications  binding  him 
to  his  people  with  ties  not  easily  broken. 

R.  F  Lavender  was  ordained  in  1886,  though  before  that  he 
had  performed  the  functions  of  a  minister.  He  was  a  farmer 
with  a  large  family,  but  he  had  the  "gift  of  tongues"  and  the 

17 


242  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

Spirit  gave  him  utterance.  There  in  the  old  church  of  Warren, 
now  Hartwick,  it  did  not  make  any  difference  whether  the 
preacher  of  the  day  appeared  or  not,  for  this  farmer  man, 
Robert  Lavender,  was  always  ready  with  something  worth 
hearing.  Among  the  good  preachers  of  the  state  and  among 
its  evangelizing  forces,  this  good  man  must  be  counted.  He  is 
now,  as  he  has  been  for  seven  years,  at  Wittemberg.  Ages 
ago,  Dr.  W.  W.  Gist  was  a  Presbyterian,  as  his  wife  was  a 
Methodist,  but,  supplying  the  Marion  church,  while  teaching 
in  Coe  College  in  1887,  he  fell  in  love  with  the  church  and 
the  church  with  him,  and  he  has  been  a  good  Congregationalist 
ever  since.  His  pastorates  at  Marion  and  Osage,  both  happy 
and  fruitful,  cover  a  period  of  thirteen  years.  Since  1899 
he  has  held  the  chair  of  English  in  the  State  Normal  College 
in  Cedar  Falls,  honored  and  beloved  in  school  and  church 
wherever  known. 

"Professor  Noble"  has  been  wdth  us  since  1888.  None 
of  the  pastors  of  Charles  City  has  a  warmer  or  larger  place  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people.  Iowa  College  took  him  from  them 
in  1894.  Once  upon  a  time,  W.  J.  Suckow  was  a  Httle  boy 
running  about  the  streets  of  Garner;  then  a  German  Metho- 
dist preacher;  later  an  English  Methodist  preacher.  The 
freer  atmosphere  of  Congregationalism  attracted  him,  and, 
since  1889  he  has  been  with  us,  one  of  the  brainiest,  and  most 
eloquent  preachers  in  the  state.  Brother  Tuttle  too,  came  to 
us  in  1889  and  is,  we  believe,  here  to  stay,  to  give  his  whole 
life  to  Iowa  as  he  has  given  his  whole  heart. 

In  this  decade  we  lost  to  other  states  a  number  of  our  strong 
men.  Dr.  James  G.  Merrill  in  his  eleven  years'  pastorate 
in  the  Davenport  Edwards  church  making  all  things  new  and 
strong,  building  a  fine  house  of  worship,  and  securing  a  net 
increase  of  one  hundred  and  forty  to  the  membership,  and 
serving  the  whole  state  in  various  ways,  left  us  for  St.  Louis 
in  1882.  Horace  B.  Woodworth,  for  a  dozen  years  pastor 
at  Charles  City  and  Decorah,  and  building  up  both  churches 


MATURITY,    1880-1889  243 

in  "strength  and  beauty,"  also  left  in  1882  for  his  work  in 
the  University  of  North  Dakota.  He  was  still  connected 
with  the  school  at  the  time  of  his  death,  December  21,  1896. 
Thomas  Grassie,  of  Keokuk,  coming  into  leadership  in  South- 
eastern Iowa  and  in  the  state,  was  taken  from  us  in  1884  to 
the  great  task  and  ofl&ce  of  Home  Missionary  Superintendent 
in  Wisconsin,  in  which  work  he  continued  up  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  April  28,  1898.  In  1884  Dr.  Juhan  M.  Sturtevant 
was  called  from  us  to  a  Cleveland  pastorate.  There  was  a 
huge  "aching  void"  for  a  long  time  after  he  left  us.  He  was 
everybody's  preacher,  and  everybody's  friend.  He  belonged 
to  everybody,  especially  the  boys  of  his  parish.  He  helped 
us  launch  the  Iowa  Congregational  Home  Missionary  Society 
and  Congregational  Iowa.  He  was  in  every  way  a  "great, 
big  man."  "Now  we  sigh  for  the  days  that  never  will  come 
back,"  and  we  once  more  send  him  our  love  and  greetings 
in  his  home  at  Ravenwood,  Chicago,  Dr.  W.  A.  Waterman 
left  us  in  1886.  He  gave  us  eleven  of  the  best  years  of  his 
life.  Among  his  monuments  in  Iowa  are  the  stately  edifice, 
fine  organ,  and  parsonage  at  Marion.  He  too  helped  us  in 
the  experiment  of  self-support.  Greetings  to  him  in  the  even- 
ing of  his  life  in  his  quiet  home  at  Elgin! 

The  fist  of  the  lost  we  could  not  afford  to  lose  in  this  decade 
is  much  longer  than  this,  but  this  is  long  enough. 

In  this  decade  we  gave  at  least  one  of  our  pastors  to  the 
foreign  work.  George  E.  White  was  born  on  foreign  mission- 
ary ground,  but  grew  up  in  an  Iowa  parsonage  and  graduated 
from  Iowa  College.  His  ministerial  career  in  Iowa  was  brief. 
He  was  three  years  only  at  Waverly,  and  then  passed  on  to  the 
service  of  the  American  Board.  Today  as  president  of  Ana- 
toUa  College  in  Turkey,  he  takes  a  foremost  place  among 
our  foreign  missionaries  of  the  statesman  type  whose  work 
is  both  broad  and  deep. 

Here  we  bid  final  farewell  to  three  of  our  old  patriarchs, 
Gaylord,  Emerson  and  Asa  Turner. 


244  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

"How  beautiful  it  is  for  man  to  die 
Upon  the  walls  of  Zion!     To  be  called 
Like  a  watch-worn  and  weary  sentinel, 
To  put  his  armor  off,  and  rest  in  Heaven!" 

The  dates  bounding  the  life  of  Reuben  Gaylord  are  April 
20, 1812,  and  January  10,  1880;  his  fields  of  labor:  Danville, 
Iowa,  seventeen  years;  Omaha,  Nebraska,  nine  years;  Home 
Missionary  Superintendent  for  Nebraska  and  Western  Iowa, 
six  years;  General  Missionary  and  pastor  of  missionary  churches 
ten  years  more;  then  the  end  at  Fontanelle.  An  oft-repeated 
sentiment  of  his  was,  "When  the  Master  comes  for  me,  I  hope 
he  will  find  me  at  work  and  with  the  harness  on."  The  first 
Sunday  of  the  year  he  preached  three  times,  making  a  trip 
of  twelve  miles  to  attend  the  second  service.  Monday  and 
Tuesday  he  conducted  meetings  of  the  "Week  of  Prayer," 
an  expression  of  his  at  the  last  meeting  being:  "The  theme 
grows  in  grandeur  and  importance  as  we  progress."  The 
next  morning  he  was  stricken  with  paralysis  and  within  thirty- 
six  hours  closed  his  great  life  of  labor,  sacrifice  and  achievement. 

Father  Emerson  began  with  us  in  1841 ;  he  passed  on  Novem- 
ber 10,  1883.  He  had  a  roving  commission.  He  was  sent 
to  the  "lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  "I  have  always 
been  an  itinerant  minister,"  he  said,  "preaching  statedly 
at  from  four  to  six  or  ten  different  places.  This  I  deem  one 
of  the  best  features  of  my  work.  This  itinerant  work  has 
enabled  me  to  lead  in  the  formation  of  not  less  than  twenty- 
five  of  the  Congregational  churches  of  Iowa  and  the  adjacent 
parts  of  Illinois."  We  need  not  here  repeat  the  story  of  his 
life  of  toil  and  sacrifice.  He  illustrates  the  elasticity  of  Con- 
gregationalism for  he  was  a  Baptist  in  sentiment,  and  to  some 
extent  in  practice,  to  the  end  of  his  days.  He  was  a  typical 
Congregationalist  in  that  he  was  utterly  undenominational. 
There  could  hardly  be  a  better  illustration  of  great  achieve- 
ments in  spite  of  prohibitive  handicaps.  What  suggestion 
of  privations  and  disinterested  benevolence  this  last  report 


MATURITY,   1880-1889  245 

to  the  Home  Missionary  Society!  "The  $25.00  due  last 
quarter  came  to  hand  two  days  since,  and  was  a  great  help 
in  starting  our  children  on  their  course  of  study  for  the  year. 
My  chief  interest  in  life  must  now  center  in  their  education. 
If  I  can  help  them  forward,  I  may  still  be  of  some  service  in 
the  world."  To  be  of  some  service  in  the  world  was  his 
highest  ambition.  Here  are  some  of  the  footprints  of  his 
pilgrimage:  Davenport  1840-1841,  Sabula  1841-1843,  De  Witt 
and  vicinity  1843-1846,  Sabula,  Copper  Creek,  etc.,  1846-1855, 
Agent  A.  M.  A.,  1855-1860,  Buckingham  1860-1861,  Elk 
River,  etc.,  1861-1866,  Charlotte  1867,  etc.,  up  to  1882. 

In  speaking  a  last  word  in  memory  of  Father  Emerson, 
Brother  Adams  said:  "His  life  was  Pauline,  with  but  one  work 
to  do,  and  he  separated  to  it;  to  preach  the  gospel;  to  preach 
it  to  the  destitute,  seeking  out  neighborhoods  where  others 
did  not  or  would  not  go;  to  preach,  not  for  a  denomination, 
but  for  the  Kingdom;  to  preach,  to  preach  the  word,  this 
was  the  one  thing  which  in  spirit  he  was  pressed  to  do.  His 
heart  was  full  of  the  gospel  and  it  must  out.  This  made  him 
eloquent.  Eastern  brethren  listened  to  him  with  astonish- 
ment, and  could  only  say  as  they  caught  their  breath,  'Well, 
that  man  ought  to  go  to  Andover  and  teach  the  students  how 
to  preach.'  " 

Father  Turner  began  at  Denmark  in  1838  and  closed  in 
1868.  The  next  year  he  moved  to  Oskaloosa  which  was  his 
home  for  the  last  seventeen  years  of  his  life.  The  "pulling 
up  of  his  roots"  at  Denmark  was  a  trying  experience.  "I 
don't  know  what  to  do  with  myself,"  he  said.  "To  preach 
and  to  prepare  for  it  was  my  delight — my  daily  food."  The 
Denmark  people  wished  to  retain  him  as  pastor  emeritus 
but  he  said,  "You  can't  afiford  it,"  and  he  thought  it  best  for 
the  church  to  take  himself  out  of  the  way.  He  spent  two 
winters  in  California  and  enjoyed  the  climate  for  a  season, 
but  Iowa  was  home  and  good  enough  for  him.  "Iowa  is  a 
good  soil,"  he  said,  "to  raise  up  inhabitants  for  the  celestial 


246  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

city."  He  "dreaded  the  thought  of  dying  anywhere  but  in 
Iowa,"  and  was  "anxious  to  lay  his  bones  there."  As  the 
old  Denmark  parishioners  were  dropping  away  he  said,  "I 
must  hurry  up  or  all  my  friends  will  get  to  heaven  before  me." 
A  paralytic  stroke  came  in  1878.  A  little  after  this  event 
he  said  one  day  to  Doctor  Magoun,  "I  can  t-t-tell  you 
w-w-what  the  p-p-palsy  is.  It  is  j-j-just  1-1-laziness  struck 
in."  Seven  years  of  invalidism  and  increasing  helplessness, 
and  then  the  end,  December  13,  1885. 

So  passed  into  the  heavens  our  Asa  Turner,  our  first  pastor; 
first  in  time,  first  in  influence  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people;  unique  in  position  and  character;  gentle,  inflexible; 
yielding,  uncompromising;  humble — "Nobody's  Nothing — " 
Denmark  "not  small  enough"  for  him,  yet  standing  fast  to 
his  opinions  and  convictions;  simple-hearted  as  a  child,  yet 
hard-headed  and  clear-eyed  as  a  man  of  affairs;  serious, 
light-hearted,  chock-full  of  fun  and  mother-wit;  preacher, 
pastor,  neighbor,  reformer,  friend  of  the  slave,  enemy  to  the 
saloon ;  ecclesiastical  architect,  builder  of  the  commonwealth — 
this  is  Asa  Turner.  He  left  his  impression  on  the  state  as 
no  other  one  of  our  ministers  has  been  able  to  do. 

Bennett  Roberts  took  his  departure  February  6,  1880.  We 
find  him  first  in  Iowa  in  1845,  at  Kossuth,  pastor  of  a  Pres- 
byterian church.  In  1848  he  became  pastor  of  the  Congre- 
gational church  at  Marion.  His  longest  pastorate  was  at 
Buckingham,  1865-1871.  At  Marion  he  "quarried  the  stone 
and  twice  handled  every  brick  for  the  church  building."  "At 
Buckingham  he  drew  a  large  portion  of  the  stone  and  lumber 
for  the  church,  contributed  S200  and  superintended  the  work." 
In  these  records  we  have  a  little  glimpse  of  one  of  the  valuable 
men  of  our  Iowa  ministry. 

Nelson  Clark  of  Vermont,  Dartmouth  and  Andover  and  from 
pastorates  in  Vermont,  Massachusetts  and  Minnesota,  pastor 
for  a  short  time  at  National  and  Garnavillo,  died  at  National 
March  16,  1880. 


MATURITY,   1880-1889  247 

Benjamin  Monroe  was  somewhat  after  the  pattern  of  Father 
Emerson.  He  too  began  as  a  Baptist  minister,  and  he  too 
had  little  denominational  zeal:  He  co-labored  with  Father 
Emerson,  dying  at  Lost  Nation,  May  5,  1880,  in  the  seven- 
tieth year  of  his  age. 

Darius  E.  Jones  experienced  life  in  many  of  its  phases. 
He  was  a  manufacturer  of  carriages  and  hardware;  he  was 
chorister  in  many  churches,  among  them  Plymouth,  Brooklyn; 
he  was  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society,  editor  of  the  Congregational  Herald,  and  the  Western 
Weekly  at  Davenport;  Iowa  Agent  of  the  Bible  Society; 
colonization  agent  of  the  B.  and  M.  Railroad;  business  agent 
for  Church  and  Co.,  publishers;  pastor  at  Columbus  City, 
Newton  and  Wilton,  etc.  Most  of  all,  he  will  be  remembered 
as  the  compiler  of  "Temple  Melodies"  and  "Songs  of  the 
New  Life"  and  as  the  composer  of  "Stockwell"  and  "Martina" 
this  last  tune  wedded  to  the  hymn  beginning: 

"Watching,  watching,  ever  watching! 

O,   how  long? 
Will  the  rosy  morning 
Never  bring  its  dawning, 

And  the  bird's  sweet  song?" 

For  years  he  led  the  services  of  song  at  our  Association 
meetings.  The  presence  of  Darius  E.  Jones  was  always  and 
everywhere  the  signal  for  "a  sing."  He  died  in  his  home  at 
Davenport,  August  10,  1881. 

In  our  narrative  we  left  Ozias  Littlefield  at  Bradford.  In 
1865  he  organized  the  church  at  Troy  Mills  and  later  settled 
at  Seneca,  Kossuth  County,  where  he  died,  November  23, 
1883,  leaving  his  property  to  the  missionary  societies.  "He 
loved  to  do  the  work  of  a  pioneer  preacher  and  carry  the  bread 
of  life  to  people  in  new  settlements." 

Our  first  introduction  to  Robert  Stuart  is  at  Cascade  in 
1847.  In  1853  he  returned  to  Vermont,  but  was  back  in  Iowa 
in  1861,  pastor  of  the  church  at  Indian  Town,  now  Montour, 


248  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

soon  taking  in  Green  Mountain  as  a  part  of  his  parish.  He 
continued  in  this  double  field  for  seven  years,  then  had  charge 
of  the  Green  Mountain  work  only  until  1870.  Retiring  from 
the  pastorate,  he  lived  on  here,  a  model  parishioner,  until  his 
death  June  27,  1884.  The  meeting-houses  now  standing  in 
Montour  and  Green  Mountain  are  monuments  of  his  faithful 
work. 

Avery  of  Chapin  and  Hampton,  closed  his  work  at  Hampton 
in  1872  and  preached  his  last  sermon  at  Chapin  in  the  spring 
of  1876.  For  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life  he  was  a  great  suf- 
ferer, but  was  always  cheerful,  and,  up  to  the  last,  interested 
in  all  the  work  of  the  church  and  of  the  Kingdom,  His  release 
came  January  23,  1885. 

Frederick  H.  Magoun,  with  a  brilliant  mind  and  gift  of 
song  and  a  consuming  zeal,  made  the  most  of  his  short  ministry 
at  Gilman,  Newburg  and  Storm  Lake,  loved  and  admired  by 
all  who  knew  him.  He  died  at  his  father's  house  in  Grinnell, 
April  15,  1885,  at  the  age  of  thirty-three. 

John  Cross  was  a  gentleman  of  the  old  school  who  had  come 
down  to  us  from  a  former  generation;  his  birth  was  in  the 
eighteenth  century.  He  entered  the  service  of  the  American 
Anti-slavery  Society  soon  after  its  organization  in  1833  and 
was  for  many  years  associated  with  Gerritt  Smith  and  John 
G.  Whittier  and  others  of  that  class.  He  continued  the  same 
work  in  Illinois.  He  established  what  is  believed  to  be  the 
"first  continuous  line  of  underground  railroad,"  in  the  United 
States.  It  extended  from  Quincy  to  Canada.  He  was  once 
imprisoned  at  Knoxville,  charged  with  secreting  fugitive 
slaves.  For  sixty  years  he  practiced  abstinence  from  all 
intoxicating  drinks,  from  tea,  coffee,  snuff,  tobacco  and  from 
all  products  of  slave  labor,  using  only  maple  sugar  and  molasses 
and  substituting  linen  for  cotton  goods.  It  was  largely  due 
to  his  influence  that  Wheaton  and  Amity  colleges  with  their 
peculiar  "anti"  tendencies  were  established,  and  his  charac- 
teristics gave  tone  and  flavor  to  the  church  of  College  Springs 


MATURITY,    1880-1889  249 

of  which  he  was  pastor  for  many  years.  His  spirit  left  the 
body  with  the  setting  sun,  December  1,  1885. 

Alexander  Parker  enlisted  from  Oberlin  in  1861.  He  could, 
from  an  experience  of  seven  months,  give  the  inside  view  of 
rebel  prisons  at  Richmond,  New  Orleans  and  Sahsbury.  He 
came  to  Iowa  in  1864.  We  loaned  him  to  California  for  four 
years,  and  there,  in  1867,  he  organized  the  First  Church  of 
Los  Angeles,  now  numbering  about  two  thousand  members. 
He  died  at  Miles  December  25,  1885.  With  a  Scotchman's 
burr  in  his  tongue  and  sand  in  his  hair  and  face,  and  the  solid 
qualities  of  his  clan,  he  went  about  all  his  work  with  a  measured 
tread,  but  always  at  it,  he  served  well  and  faithfully  his  day 
and  generation  and  the  state  to  which  he  gave  his  love  and  so 
much  of  his  life. 

Alfred  A.  Whitmore  had  been  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  for 
more  than  forty  years.  He  was  resting  from  his  labors  in 
his  last  parish  at  Anita  where  he  had  resided  eleven  years. 
Sunday  morning,  August  8,  1886,  he  was  supplying  for  the 
pastor,  preaching  from  the  text:  "We  know  that  we  have 
passed  from  death  unto  life  because  we  love  the  brethren." 
In  the  midst  of  his  discourse  his  hands  fell  on  the  open  Bible, 
his  face  bowed  over  it,  and  his  body  sank  to  the  floor,  and 
he  too  had  passed  from  death  unto  life. 

Spencer  R.  Wells,  one  arm  shot  away  at  Vicksburg,  returning 
from  a  foreign  field  with  a  shattered  constitution,  attempted 
work  at  Eagle  Grove.  Within  a  few  months,  October  7,  1886, 
the  end  came.  He  gave  what  he  could — and  that  was  much — 
to  Christ  and  his  church. 

Stephen  L.  Herrick  was  a  typical  New  England  preacher, 
albeit  his  preaching  was  nearly  all  done  in  New  York.  He  came 
to  Iowa  in  1855,  not  to  preach,  but  to  repair  damages  which 
his  preaching  had  done — to  himself — in  the  East.  However, 
Grinnell  was  just  starting  and  had  no  regular  pastor,  so  he 
began  to  take  part  with  Mr.  Grinnell  and  others  in  supplying 
the  pulpit.     "He  was  t-wice  invited  to  become  pastor  of  the 


250  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

church  and  stated  supply  of  the  pulpit,  others  being  invited  to 
act  as  his  associates,  which  he  did  without  any  formal  accept- 
ance of  the  charge,"  and  without  compensation.  He  died 
at  his  home  in  Grinnell,  July  20,  1886. 

A  young  man  of  great  promise,  Frank  S.  June,  thirty-three 
years  of  age,  only  four  years  in  the  ministry,  gathering  strength 
every  day  in  his  new  parish  at  Charles  City,  was  suddenly 
stricken  down,  March  19,  1888. 

D.  N.  Bordwell  passed  through  the  valley  September  24, 
1888,  but  it  was  not  a  valley  of  shadows  to  him.  "To  the 
dear  invalid  himself,"  says  Mrs.  Bordwell,  "all  has  been  peace 
and  joy  unspeakable.  His  last  words  at  night  are:  'Under  the 
shadow  of  His  wing.'  He  seems  wrapped  in  the  embrace  of 
God's  love.  I  cannot  tell  you  how  wonderful  are  the  revela- 
tions of  love  and  beauty  to  him.  At  times  he  appears  to  me 
as  if  he  had  already  passed  the  dark  river  and  had  reached 
the  other  shore."  Those  who  knew  him  did  not  wonder  that 
his  life  should  go  out  into  the  other  life  in  all  the  glory  of 
a  gorgeous  sunset.  He  was  magnificent  in  his  simphcity, 
naturalness,  sympathy,  charity,  love.  He  gave  the  address 
to  the  people  when  I  was  ordained,  saying,  "When  I  get  too 
old  to  preach,  I  want  to  be  a  sexton  and  make  everything  nice 
and  comfortable  for  the  people." 

Albert  Manson,  after  forty  years  of  service,  twenty-six 
of  these  in  Iowa,  nearly  twenty  at  Quasqueton,  died  of  old 
age  peacefully  and  quietly  at  Marion,  September  24,  1888. 
"He  was  a  man  of  much  native  ability,  a  strong  defender  of 
the  faith  and  an  earnest  preacher  of  the  gospel." 

Another  old  soldier,  Orremel  W.  Cooley,  forty  years  in  serv- 
ice, died  at  Glenwood  which  was  his  field  of  labor  and  his 
place  of  retirement  in  old  age.  May  6,  1889.  "He  was  a  man 
of  vigorous  intellect  and  scholarly  attainments;  a  man  of  kindly 
heart,  always  delighting  in  helpful  words  and  deeds." 

William  F.  Harvey  died  at  his  home  near  Gait  in  Wright 
County  December  1,  1889.     He  came  to  Iowa  in  1864.     He 


MATURITY,    1880-1889  251 

had  no  theological  training  but  knew  hy  heart  the  gospel 
story.  He  labored  for  six  years  at  Webster  City,  seven  at 
Riceville  and  Wentworth,  then  retired  to  his  farm  in  1877, 
but  gave  himself  to  missionary  work  at  Gait,  Clarion,  Frye- 
burg,  Dows  and  other  places  up  to  the  time  of  his  death. 
At  Gait,  Rowan  and  Webster  City  memorial  windows  testify 
to  his  good  life  and  works.  He  never  married.  He  would 
not  accept  missionary  aid.  For  the  most  part  he  had  no 
stipulated  salary.  He  was  the  largest  contributor  to  the 
churches  which  he  served,  and  nearly  all  the  remainder  of 
his  substance  went  to  missions. 

Others  passing  on  to  their  reward  during  this  decade  are: 
Allen  Northrop,  Amasa  H.  Houghton  of  Lansing;  George  A. 
Coleman  of  Corning;  Andrew  Bachelder  of  Bowen's  Prairie; 
Charles  O.  Parmeter  of  Cromwell,  Kelley  and  Garden  Prairie; 
and  W.  H.  Brocksome  of  Nora  Springs. 

Our  long  obituary  list  closes  with  Jacob  Reuth,  who  died 
at  Lansing  Ridge,  December  11,  1889.  He  came  from  Swit- 
zerland in  1869.  He  served  faithfully  and  well  in  successive 
pastorates  our  German  churches  at  Muscatine,  Davenport, 
Sherrill's  Mound  and  Lansing  Ridge.  He  gave  himself  with- 
out reserve  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  His  name  is  still 
fragrant  in  many  households  in  Iowa. 


Chapter  XII 
FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,    1890-1899 

We  have  now  reached  the  '90s.  Daniel  Lane  dreamed 
of  this  day  in  1844  and  wrote:  "Sometimes  I  try  to  wrap 
myself  up  in  the  future  and,  by  contemplating  what  will  be, 
take  courage  to  labor  for  the  time  being.  Now  I  am  sitting 
in  some  well-furnished  church;  a  large  congregation  is  con- 
vened to  listen  to  reports  of  the  various  churches;  one  num- 
bers two  hundred  members;  others  one  hundred  and  forty, 
one  hundred,  fifty-nine,  sixty-six,  three  hundred,  three  hun- 
dred and  seventeen,  etc.  Pastors  have  been  settled  fifteen, 
twenty  and  thirty  years;  revival  has  succeeded  revival,  and 
all  is  indicative  of  prosperity  within  the  bounds  of  the  Associa- 
tion assembled.  Delegates  from  sister  Associations  are  there. 
Brother  Salter — locks  whitened  with  age — addresses  the  audi- 
ence representing  prosperity  in  North  Iowa.  Brother  Turner, 
leaning  upon  the  top  of  his  staff,  gives  an  account  of  what 
God  has  done  for  his  people  in  Jones  County.  Brother  Hill 
from  Clayton,  although  bald-headed,  yet  retaining  nearly  all 
the  physical  vigor  of  youth,  makes  a  speech.  Brother  Alden 
represents  Tipton;  Brother  Robbins,  Bloomington;  the  Ten 
are  there  and  the  voice  of  each  is  heard.  Then,  in  view  of  the 
past,  we  will  exclaim:  'Bless  the  Lord,  O  our  souls,  and  all 
that  is  within  us,  bless  his  holy  name.'  This  Association 
adjourns  on  Friday,  October  12,  1890.  Shall  we  live  to  see 
this?  No  matter  whether  we  do  or  not,  something  of  the 
sort  will  exist  in  the  churches  of  Iowa,  without  doubt.  If  we 
see  it  not  in  this  world,  God  grant  that  we  may  look  down  from 
heaven  and  see  it." 

252 


FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,   1890-1899       253 

The  meeting  was  not  in  October,  but  in  May.  It  was  held 
in  the  Plymouth  church,  Des  Moines.  Hutchinson,  Spauld- 
ing,  Ripley,  Hill,  and  Lane  himself  just  translated,  were  not 
there,  but  in  the  assembly  of  "those  whose  names  are  written 
in  heaven."  Brother  Turner  was  not  there  to  tell  of  the  work 
of  God  in  Jones  County,  for  he  was  in  retirement  in  Oswego, 
New  York.  If  he  had  been  there,  he  would  have  spoken  of 
wider  fields  than  Jones  County  or  even  Iowa.  Alden  was 
not  there  to  represent  Tipton,  for  he  was  far  away,  now  pastor 
emeritus  at  Marshfield,  Massachusetts.  Only  four  of  the 
Band  are  left,  Ephraim  Adams,  Harvey  Adams,  Robbins  and 
Salter.  They  are  present,  and  they  are  heard  from,  of  course, 
for  this  is  the  semi-centennial  of  Congregationalism  in  Iowa. 
Doctor  Salter  preached  the  historical  sermon  of  the  occasion. 
Doctor  Robbins,  still  pastor  at  Bloomington  (Muscatine), 
was  the  moderator,  and  Doctor  Adams  was  his  assistant. 
They  had  lived  to  see  the  day,  but  a  better  day  than  that  of 
which  the  prophet  dreamed.  The  churches  destined  to  sur- 
vive, numbered  about  two  hundred,  with  a  membership  of 
twenty-two  thousand.  And,  sure  enough,  there  were  the 
churches  seen  in  the  vision  with  their  one  hundred,  two  hun- 
dred, and  even  three  hundred  members.  Davenport  had  the 
three  hundred  and  seventeen  prophesied;  Tabor,  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-eight;  Dubuque  First,  four  hundred  and 
twenty-eight;  while  Des  Moines  Plymouth,  way  beyond 
the  scope  of  the  vision,  had  four  hundred  and  eighty-two 
members,  and  Grinnell,  then  undreamed  of,  had  seven  hun- 
dred and  twenty. 

In  1890  population  had  reached  the  limits  of  the  state  in 
every  direction.  Eastern  Iowa  was  now  more  than  fifty  years 
of  age.  Indian  titles  were  all  extinguished  years  ago.  The 
Black  Hawk  Purchase,  the  Purchase  of  1837,  the  New  Pur- 
chase were  names  of  the  past.  Railroads  had  penetrated  all 
sections  of  the  state.  The  Pilgrims,  in  isolated  families  or  in 
groups,   were  in  all  parts  of  the  territory.     Our   churches 


254  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

though  thinly  scattered,  were  here  and  there  in  all  parts  of  the 
state.  We  no  longer  talked  of  reaching  the  Missouri,  or  the 
Upper  Cedar  Valley,  or  the  Upper  Des  Moines,  or  the  Sioux 
Country,  for  we  had  in  a  measure  covered  the  whole  field.  We 
had  churches  along  all  our  rivers  and  railroad  lines,  and  in 
almost  every  county  from  Des  Moines  to  Lyon,  and  from 
Alamakee  to  Fremont.  We  had  churches  at  Lansing  and 
Tabor,  at  Keokuk  and  Rock  Rapids,  almost  five  hundred 
miles  apart.  From  this  time  on  there  could  be  no  marked 
sectional  developments  but  the  increase  must  be  "from  Dan 
to  Beersheba,"  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  state, 
by  the  thickening  up  of  population,  the  filling  in  of  sections 
passed  over  in  the  first  rush  of  settlement,  the  growth  of 
cities,  the  building  of  new  railroads  and  perhaps — who  can 
tell? — the  coming  of  electric  lines,  and  by  the  incoming 
of  foreign  populations,  demanding  Pilgrim  churches  of  alien 
tongues. 

Of  course  there  were  still  abundant  room  and  opportunity 
for  growth.  The  unfilled  spaces  between  settlements  were 
many;  the  rural  districts  were  sparsely  populated;  not  one 
half  of  the  soil  of  Lyon  County,  for  example,  was  at  this  time 
under  cultivation;  our  cities  were  still  few  and  small  and  the 
whole  population  was  still  short  of  two  million.  Our  churches 
indeed,  surpass  the  dream  of  the  seer,  but  they  were  still  for 
the  most  part,  small  and  weak,  not  one-third  of  them  number- 
ing a  hundred  members  each.  From  Dan  to  Beersheba  there 
was  opportunity  for  development. 

This  was  preeminently  a  Home  Missionary  decade;  the 
time  of  the  most  extensive  missionary  operations  in  our  his- 
tory. In  1880  we  raised  for  home  missions  S6,383  to  which 
the  parent  society  added  $4,000,  and  we  had  sixty-six  men 
in  the  field.  In  the  year  1889-90,  we  put  into  state  work 
$16,954,  and  sent  $9,265  to  the  national  society;  we  had  in 
our  employ  ninety-nine  men  supplying  one  hundred  and  four 
churches  and  numerous  out-stations.     The  next  year  we  put 


FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,    1890-1899       255 

into  the  Iowa  work  $19,762,  employing  a  force  of  one  hundred 
and  five  in  a  field  of  one  hundred  and  seventeen  churches  with 
a  score  of  out-stations.  The  next  year  we  reached  $20,140, 
had  one  hundred  and  thirteen  missionaries  and  one  hundred 
and  thirty-six  missionary  stations.  In  the  year  1893-94  we 
expended  in  the  state  work  $21,534,  employed  one  hundred 
and  seven  missionaries  to  supply  one  hundred  and  sixteen 
churches  and  more  than  fifty  out-stations,  while  special  meet- 
ings were  held  by  our  evangelists  in  more  than  twenty  self- 
supporting  fields.  During  this  year  more  than  one  hundred 
and  eighty  communities  received  the  gospel  statedly  or  occa- 
sionally from  our  missionaries  in  six  different  languages,  in  all 
sorts  of  places. 

During  the  decade  we  put  into  the  state  work  $172,894 
and  sent  to  the  treasury  of  the  National  Society  $30,295.  We 
did  not  quite  keep  up  the  pace  of  the  early  years  throughout 
the  decade,  but  on  the  whole  the  ten  years'  record  is:  a  full 
treasury,  a  full  force  in  the  field,  and  large  results.  In  the 
year  1894  the  Secretary  reports:  "Preachers  have  been  plenty. 
There  has  been  a  marked  change  in  this  respect.  The  calls 
for  men  have  had  their  effect.  The  seminaries  are  turning 
out  more  men  than  they  once  did.  Ministers  of  other  denom- 
inations are  flocking  to  us  'as  a  cloud,  and  as  the  doves  to  their 
windows!'  So  many  are  knocking  at  our  door  that  we  from 
within  are  beginning  to  say :  'Go  to,  now,  and  presently  return, 
bringing  your  people  with  you,  then  we  will  open  unto  you 
and  give  you  welcome.'  Candidates  being  numerous,  it  has 
been  comparatively  easy  to  keep  the  missionary  ranks  full. 
Vacancies  have  been  few  and,  for  the  most  part,  of  short  dura- 
tion.    Changes  have  been  far  less  frequent  than  usual." 

In  this  decade  we  made  large  use  of  general  missionaries, 

'  pastors-at-large  and  evangelists  and  we  were  glad  to  give 

place  in  our  ministerial  ranks  to  our  women.     In  the  list  of 

the  missionaries  of  these  years  we  find  such  names  as:    Rev. 

Bertha  Bowers,  Rev.  Bertha  Harris,  Rev.  Abi   L.  Preston, 


256  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Rev.  Abi  L.  Preston  Nutting,  Rev.  Abbie  R.  Hinckley,  Rev. 
Anna  O.  Nichols,  Rev.  Mary  Drake,  Rev.  Emma  K.  Henry, 
Rev.  Lydia  I.  James,  Miss  Elvirda  Pugh,  Miss  Nina  Pettigrew, 
etc.  And  we  find  such  names  as  these:  Jacob  Fath,  Jacob 
Henn,  Frederick  Judeisch,  John  Single,  John  Strohecker, 
Carl  Hess,  Philip  Schmidt,  Carl  Wuerrschmidt,  Ferdinand 
Sattler,  Gottfried  Grob,  Otto  Gerhardt,  Emil  Warkenstein, 
etc.,  men  of  our  Teutonic  contingent.  Here  are  others, 
claiming  to  speak  the  language  of  heaven:  Ivan  M.  Jones, 
Owen  Thomas,  J.  C.  Hughes,  Lloyd  Williams,  D.  E.  Evans, 
Arthur  Davies,  R.  E.  Roberts,  etc.  Of  Scandinavian  blood 
and  tongue  are  C.  O.  Torgeson,  F.  0.  Anderson,  Hans  Peder- 
son,  F.  C.  Olsson,  J.  0.  Nystrom.  And  here  are  Anton 
Paulu,  John  Rhundus,  John  Musil,  F.  T.  Bastel,  Catherine 
Vavrina,  Elizabeth  Junck,  and  others,  followers  of  John  Huss, 
all  the  way  from  Bohemia  to  Congregational  Iowa, 

From  these  large  operations,  there  must  be  corresponding 
results.  It  was  a  decade  of  unusual  growth.  The  new 
churches  of  the  decade,  as  shown  in  Chapter  XVI,  number 
ninety-five.  This  is  beyond  what  has  ever  been  or  is  likely 
to  be  unless  sometime  the  other  denominations  come  flocking 
to  our  standards  and  to  our  fellowship. 

These  churches  extend  from  Dan  to  Beersheba.  Two  are 
in  the  southwest,  fourteen  in  the  southeast,  sixteen  in  the 
northeast,  thirty  in  the  northwest,  thirty-one  in  the  central 
part  of  the  state,  ten  of  them  within  the  bounds  of  the  old 
Grinnell  Association. 

Among  the  new  churches  of  the  decade  are  Ankeny,  Rev. 
Joseph  Steele  pastor,  which  would  not  accept  Home  Mission- 
ary aid;  Blairsburg,  emerging  from  the  Wesleyan  denomina- 
tion; Britt  Scandinavian,  from  the  Free  Mission  Church; 
Buckeye,  a  remnant  of  the  old  Ellis  church;  Cedar  Rapids 
Bethany,  over  in  the  "Time  Check"  section  of  the  city; 
Davenport  Bethlehem,  organized  for  the  Americanizing  Ger- 
mans of  this  German  town;   Des  Moines  German  and  Green- 


FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,    1890-1899       257 

wood,  where  the  people  of  the  Boulevard  and  of  the  side  street 
united  in  Christian  work  and  worship;  Dubuque  Summit,  a 
People's  Church  not  in  name  but  in  fact;  Elkader,  organized 
by  the  children  of  the  Germans  whose  fathers  crowded  out 
the  English  settlers  who  organized  the  First  Church  there  in 
1855;  Knoxville,  taking  up  again  the  work  begun  in  1852, 
but  discontinued  in  1864;  Luzerne  and  Vining,  our  first  Bohe- 
mian churches;  Muscatine  Pilgrim,  now  our  flourishing  Mul- 
ford  church  bearing  the  name  of  the  woman  who  devoted  time 
and  money  without  stint  to  the  establishing  of  the  mission 
for  the  working  people  and  children  of  South  Muscatine; 
Rowan,  the  ground  consecrated  by  the  prayers  and  labors  of 
Father  Sands  and  Brother  W.  F.  Harvey;  Sioux  City  River- 
side, and  Bellevista,  Congregationalism  thus  reaching  out 
into  the  suburbs  of  the  city;  Steamboat  Rock,  a  donation 
from  the  Presbyterians;  Whiting  growing  brighter  and 
brighter  every  day,  etc. 

This,  too,  was  a  decade  of  revivals  and  in-gatherings.  Our 
evangeUsts  and  our  general  missionaries  were  in  the  field, — 
Skeels,  Skinner,  Packard  and  Carl  Hess.  B.  Fay  Mills,  in 
the  fullness  of  his  evangelistic  power,  was  here  for  a  time,  two 
hundred  and  fourteen  uniting  with  the  Grinnell  Church  in 
1893,  the  year  of  his  meetings  there.  Evangelist  M.  B.  Wil- 
liams was  here  in  1896-97,  and  Manchester  had  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  accessions,  Cedar  Falls  eighty-two  and  Water- 
loo seventy-two.  Evangelist  Hartsough  was  here  helping 
in  the  in-gathering  of  ninety-nine  at  Eldora  and  large  numbers 
in  other  places.  Pastors  became  evangelists  in  their  own 
parishes  and  in  neighboring  fields.  Pastor  Snowden  had  an 
accession  of  ninety-three  at  Fayette,  Pastor  Pottle  one  hundred 
and  eight  at  Onawa,  Pastor  Jamison  one  hundred  and  eighteen 
at  Sioux  City  Mayflower,  Pastor  Packard  one  hundred  and 
eleven  at  Ionia  and  Pastor  Beardsley  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
one  at  Salem. 

Perhaps  our  best  illustration  of  pastoral  evangelism  was 

18 


258  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

furnished  by  the  Summit  Church  of  Dubuque  and  its  pastor. 
The  church  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  mission  Sunday  school. 
Before  the  organization  EvangeUst  Skeels  conducted  a  series 
of  meetings.  When  Pastor  G.  M.  Orvis  arrived  June  6,  1804, 
the  church  had  already  had  sixteen  series  of  evangelistic  serv- 
ices. And  now  his  record  begins:  "November  21,  December 
9,  Pastor  Orvis  conducts  meetings;  March  24,  1895,  evangelist 
Hartsough  begins  meetings;  November  17,  December  11, 
special  meetings  conducted  by  the  pastor  assisted  by  F.  E. 
Hopkins;  January  30,  1896,  Doctor  Munhall  begins  meeting; 
November  15,  December  6,  the  pastor  conducts  meetings." 
The  record  further  speaks  of  "two  series  of  meetings  in  1897, 
two  in  1898,  one  in  1899,"  and  so  on  up  to  the  present  hour. 
No  wonder  that  in  the  short  space  of  twenty  years  more  than 
seven  hundred  have  united  with  this  church,  its  present 
membership  being  almost  four  hundred.  Other  records  of 
accessions  scattered  through  the  decade  are:  Creston  in  one 
year,  sixty-eight;  Dubuque  First,  one  hundred  and  eight; 
Osage,  seventy;  Sioux  City  First,  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
one;  Humboldt,  ninety-two;  Tabor,  ninety-five;  Whiting, 
sixty-nine;  Webster  City,  fifty-eight;  Des  Moines  Plymouth, 
ninety-six;  Farragut,  sixty-four;  Hawarden,  ninety-five; 
Emmetsburg,  ninety-four;  Newton,  ninety-seven;  Glenwood, 
sixty-five;  Cherokee,  eighty-nine  one  year,  fifty  another; 
Primghar,  ninety-nine,  etc.  The  total  accessions  of  the 
decade  are  38,714  and  the  net  increase  in  membership  is 
13,102.  In  the  preceding  decade  the  net  gain  was  7,412; 
that  of  the  70s  was  5,118. 

The  dedications  of  this  decade  were  many.  They  number 
ninety-seven.  Congregational  Iowa  never  saw  the  like  before 
and  perhaps  will  never  see  the  like  again.  The  record  of 
these  dedications  is  in  Chapter  XVI.  It  is  a  hardship  not  to 
report  each  in  detail,  for  a  dedication  service  is  always  a  festive 
occasion  even  though  the  people  usually  are  facing  a  mountain 
of  debt  which  must  be  removed. 


FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,   1890-1899       259 

The  festivities  began  with  the  Sloan  Church  February  2, 
1890.  This  was  the  second  dedication  at  Sloan  within  four 
years.  The  former  church  still  new,  was  crushed  and  scattered 
in  fragments  by  a  tornado,  June  17  of  the  previous  year.  Of 
course  there  was  a  debt,  and  of  course  the  debt  was  wiped  out 
at  the  dedication.  Secretary  Douglass  preached  the  sermon 
as  he  had  at  the  previous  dedication.  Marshalltown  came 
next,  February  23,  President  Gates  preaching  the  sermon. 
Next  was  Larchwood  May  27,  with  Secretary  Douglass  again 
preacher  and  finangelist;  then  Elma,  and  Primghar,  and  so 
on  to  the  end  of  the  list.  July  13,  of  this  first  year  of  the 
decade,  Sioux  City  First  Church  bade  farewell  to  the  chapel 
which  had  served  it  faithfully  for  twenty  years,  and  entered  the 
great  structure  now  in  use.  Chapin  had  waited  thirty-two 
years  for  its  first  house  of  worship,  the  schoolhouse  at  "Old 
Chapin"  having  served  as  sanctuary  nearly  all  of  this  time. 
The  dedication  at  Muscatine,  March  5,  1893,  was  the  fourth 
occasion  of  its  kind,  and  they  have  had  one  still  later.  The 
first  house  was  dedicated  in  1845  and  served  for  ten  years. 
It  was  called  "the  stern-wheel  church"  because  the  bell-tower 
was  in  the  rear.  The  second  building  was  called  the  "Benja- 
mite  Church,"  because  the  index  finger  pointing  upward  was 
that  of  the  left  hand.  Why  the  third  was  called  "Uncle  Tom's 
Cabin"  is  obvious,  for  the  pastor  and  many  of  his  people  were 
notorious  abolitionists.  The  fourth  building,  a  fine  structure 
costing  S25,000,  was  built  to  last  a  century,  but  scarce  sur- 
vived a  decade,  melted  to  the  earth  by  devouring  flames.  The 
service  at  Grinnell,  October  28,  1894,  was  a  rededication  after 
the  building  of  galleries  adding  three  hundred  and  fifty  sittings 
to  the  eight  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  floor.  As  a  good  sample 
of  an  Iowa  dedication  hymn,  we  insert  the  following,  written 
by  Dr.  E.  M.  Vittum,  and  sung  on  this  occasion: 

"Where  mountains  pierce  the  arching  skies, 
And  salt  waves  dash  on  rocky  strands, 
Our  fathers  Ufted  longing  eyes, 
.And  dreamed  of  homes  in  prairie  lands. 


260  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

With  many  sighs  and  many  tears, 
They  left  that  country  by  the  sea; 
With  many  doubts  and  many  fears, 
They  knelt  and  prayed,  O  God,  to  thee. 

But  thou  hast  heard  their  suppUant  voice; 
And  thou  hast  blest  their  prayerful  toil; 
Thou  bid'st  this  happy  land  rejoice 
With  sun  and  shower  and  fruitful  soil. 

Thine  is  the  hope  of  radiant  morn; 
Thine  is  the  fruit  which  labor  gains; 
Thine  are  the  miles  of  golden  com, 
The  cattle  on  a  thousand  plains. 

This  house  is  thine;  and  by  thy  will 
We  hold  it  for  a  Uttle  span. 
Here  may  thy  truth  our  bosoms  fill 
With  love  to  God  and  love  to  man. 

The  fruitful  field,  the  shady  tree. 
This  place  of  prayer,  yon  classic  hall. 
We  dedicate  them  all  to  thee, 
God  of  our  fathers,  God  of  all." 

One  of  the  commanding  figures  of  Iowa  Congregational- 
ism in  this  decade  was  this  man  Edmund  M.  Vittum.  He 
came  to  Iowa  from  Guilford,  Connecticut,  in  1888.  Under 
him,  and  with  him  and  for  him,  the  people  of  Cedar  Rapids 
built  their  house  of  worship.  During  his  pastorate  at  Grinnell, 
1891-1906,  the  church  had  its  greatest  prosperity,  more  than 
one  thousand  uniting  with  the  church  during  these  years,  and 
the  membership  reaching  beyond  a  thousand.  His  influence 
in  the  college  was  second  only  to  that  of  the  President.  The 
whole  state  felt  the  impulse  and  uplift  of  his  strong  person- 
ality. In  the  meetings  of  the  General  Association,  we  often 
waited  for  his  word,  and  that  was  the  conclusion  of  the  whole 
matter.  In  address  he  was  at  times  eloquent  and  brilliant. 
He  was  always  resourceful  and  we  learned  to  expect  the 
unexpected  and  the  unusual  when  he  began  to  speak.  He 
was  a  man  for  occasions,  and  for  emergencies  and  for  crises 


FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,    1890-1899       261 

requiring  nerve  and  tact.  He  occupies  a  unique  place  in  our 
history.  We  mourned  his  departure,  and  we  have  left  the 
gates  wide  open  for  his  return. 

Semi-centennials  and  other  celebrations  were  frequent 
during  this  period.  We  referred  in  the  opening  of  this  chapter 
to  the  semi-centennial  of  the  State  Association.  Doctor 
Salter  preached  the  historical  sermon;  Superintendent  Towle 
spoke  of  the  Sunday  school  work  of  fifty  years;  Doctor  Magoun 
of  the  "Congregational  Factor  in  Reform";  President  Brooks 
of  "Fifty  Years  of  Education  in  Iowa";  Father  Todd  of 
"Early  Congregationalism  in  Southwestern  Iowa,"  and  Dr. 
Ephraim  Adams  of  "Fifty  Years  of  Congregational  Work  in 
Iowa,"  while  Pastor  Fox  brought  the  greetings  of  the  "Mother 
Church"  at  Denmark.  During  Doctor  Adams'  address, 
some  of  the  pioneers  occupied  the  platform:  John  Todd  of 
Tabor;  Asa  Turner,  Jr.,  "a  chip  of  the  old  block";  Deacon 
Oliver  Brooks,  at  the  time  in  his  fifty-first  year  of  service  as 
clerk  of  the  Denmark  church,  the  only  member  of  this  Associa- 
tion who  was  also  a  member  of  that  first  meeting  of  1840; 
Harvey  Adams  who  disputes  with  Julius  A.  Reed  the  distinc- 
tion of  being  the  oldest  Congregational  minister  in  Iowa,  born 
on  the  same  day  but  the  hour  not  recorded;  W.  L.  Coleman, 
pioneer  in  Jackson,  Mitchell  and  Clay  Counties;  Doctor 
Salter  and  wife;  "Bishop  Sands  of  Wright  and  Hancock 
Counties"  and  Mrs.  Julian  Phelps  who,  as  a  girl,  attended  the 
Denmark  meeting  fifty  years  ago  and  whose  father  brought 
a  load  of  the  Iowa  Band  from  Burlington  to  Denmark  in  1843. 
The  most  memorable  paper  of  the  celebration,  however,  was 
Reed's  "Memorabilia."  It  has  never  been  published  except 
in  our  State  Minutes.  It  lies  buried  in  that  great  Mausoleum 
though  now  parts  of  it  find  another  place  of  burial  in  this  book. 
Mr.  Reed  was  not  able  to  attend  the  meeting  for  he  was  old 
and  feeble,  and  within  three  months  of  his  death.  The  paper 
was  read  by  his  pastor.  Doctor  Archibald. 

About  thirty  churches  passed  their  fiftieth  milestone  in 


264  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

the  Kingdom,  and  that  the  Kingdom  was  greater  and  more  im- 
portant than  the  Church.  The  attempt  to  break  down  the 
"middle  wall  of  partition"  between  the  secular  and  the  sacred 
and  to  lift  the  secular  up  into  the  sacred,  was  in  the  line  of 
ethical  progress.  The  call  of  the  Church  from  excessive  "other 
worldliness"  to  the  betterment  of  this  present  evil  world, 
gave  a  new  sacredness  and  glory  to  human  life,  and  set  men 
longing  and  looking  anew  for  the  "new  heavens  and  the  new 
earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  It  turned  young 
men  away  from  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  but  it  filled  them 
with  a  passion  for  social  service  and  sent  them  out  into  the 
slums  and  charity  work  in  endless  variety.  It  criticised  the 
Church  unmercifully  and  unjustly  and  without  discrimination; 
but  the  Church  undoubtedly  has  profited  somewhat  by  the 
castigation,  and  here  again  is  fulfilled  the  words  of  Scripture, 
"Now  no  chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to  be  joyous, 
but  grievous ;  nevertheless  afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable 
fruits  of  righteousness  unto  them  that  are  exercised  thereby." 
Certain  it  is  that  on  the  whole  the  Church  is  now  as  never 
before  striving  for  the  redemption  of  the  whole  of  every  man 
the  world  around;  so  that  the  movement  even  as  we  knew  it, 
in  Iowa,  with  all  its  excesses,  extravagances,  eccentricities 
and  its  sins,  was  one  of  the  "all  things"  working  together  for 
good.  Undoubtedly  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  main  con- 
tentions of  the  general  movement  are  now  generally  accepted. 
For  the  most  part  the  utterances  of  "The  Kingdom"  would 
be  mere  commonplace  today,  as  indeed  many  of  them  were 
then. 

The  mortuary  list  for  the  decade  is  a  long  one.  It  began 
with  Dr.  James  Hoyt  of  Keokuk,  whose  stay  in  Iowa  was  but 
brief,  but  whose  great  personality  still  left  its  impress  upon  the 
state.  Daniel  Lane  is  next;  then  E.  C.  Taylor  of  Percival, 
Julius  A.  Reed,  Mrs.  Reed,  Charles  Gibbs  of  Cedar  Falls, 
J.  B.  Grinnell,  D.  R.  Lewis  of  Beacon  and  Givin,  H.  Geer  once 
of  Nevinville,  J.  W.  Peet  founder  of  the  church  at  Fontanelle, 


FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,   1890-1899       265 

E.  Y.  Swift  of  Denmark,  Charles  Little  of  Lewis,  Mrs.  Salter, 
Mrs.  Harvey  Adams,  Mrs.  Reuben  Gaylord,  Mrs.  J,  K. 
Nutting,  James  Alderson,  John  Todd,  Alphaeus  Graves, 
Jesse  Rogers,  James  Gilbert,  Mrs.  Robbins,  Joel  Bingham, 
Tudor  Jones,  Deacon  Oliver  Brooks,  H.  S.  De  Forest,  Pres- 
ident Magoun,  Harvey  Adams,  Alden  B.  Robbins,  Duncan 
McDermid,  Thomas  Pell  of  Sibley,  J.  T.  Cook  founder  of 
Plymouth  Church,  Des  Moines,  Colonel  Hebard  of  Red  Oak, 
Honorable  Charles  Beardsley  of  Burlington,  Mrs.  Magoun, 
Mrs.  Holbrook,  J.  M.  Chamberlain,  Z.  M.  Ellis  of  Niles, 
J.  R.  Upton,  Thomas  Grassie,  Samuel  Eveland  who  did  notable 
work  at  Reinbeck,  William  Spell,  M.  F.  Piatt,  W.  F.  Rose, 
J.  W.  Elzer,  Ebenezer  Alden  who  died  at  Marshfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, January  4,  1899,  E.  P.  Smith  of  Wayne,  Danville 
and  Wilton,  C.  A.  Towle,  Albert  Houston,  A.  E.  Everest  for 
many  years  state  agent  of  the  Bible  Society,  Father  L.  T. 
Rowley,  E.  O.  Bennett  of  Brighton,  Thomas  Merrill  of  Monroe, 
Fairfield  and  Baxter,  Richard  Hassell  and  Otto  Gerhardt. 

Of  the  scores  of  good  brethren  and  sisters  in  our  churches  who 
in  this  decade  passed  to  their  reward,  we  cannot  speak  a  single 
word  nor  even  enroll  their  names.  Of  a  few  of  our  ministerial 
household  we  must  speak  a  little  word  of  farewell.  Daniel 
Lane  was  the  first  one  of  the  Band  to  decide  for  Iowa.  To 
Iowa  he  gave  his  life;  ten  years  pastor  at  Keosauqua,  five 
years  in  the  college  at  Davenport,  four  years  at  Eddyville, 
six  at  Belle  Plaine,  then  closed  his  ministry  in  the  service  of 
the  college.  For  four  years  he  lived  in  Oskaloosa  in  daily 
fellowship  with  Father  Turner.  In  1882  he  removed  to  Free- 
port,  Maine,  where  he  died  April  3,  1890.  One  of  the  Iowa 
saints  was  this  good  man,  Daniel  Lane.  "The  only  perfect 
man  I  ever  knew,"  said  one  of  his  brother  ministers.  "I 
always  feel  like  hiding  when  I  see  Mr.  Lane  coming  along  the 
street,"  said  a  saloonist.  Brother  St.  John  tells  of  a  rough 
profane  drinking  man  who  said,  "Father  Lane  is  the  best  man 
that  ever  lived."    Mr.  St,  John  replied,  "I  think  he  is  one  of 


264  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

the  Kingdom,  and  that  the  Kingdom  was  greater  and  more  im- 
portant than  the  Church.  The  attempt  to  break  down  the 
"middle  wall  of  partition"  between  the  secular  and  the  sacred 
and  to  lift  the  secular  up  into  the  sacred,  was  in  the  line  of 
ethical  progress.  The  call  of  the  Church  from  excessive  "other 
worldliness"  to  the  betterment  of  this  present  evil  world, 
gave  a  new  sacredness  and  glory  to  human  life,  and  set  men 
longing  and  looking  anew  for  the  "new  heavens  and  the  new 
earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness."  It  turned  young 
men  away  from  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  but  it  filled  them 
with  a  passion  for  social  service  and  sent  them  out  into  the 
slums  and  charity  work  in  endless  variety.  It  criticised  the 
Church  unmercifully  and  unjustly  and  without  discrimination; 
but  the  Church  undoubtedly  has  profited  somewhat  by  the 
castigation,  and  here  again  is  fulfilled  the  words  of  Scripture, 
"Now  no  chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to  be  joyous, 
but  grievous;  nevertheless  afterward  it  yieldeth  the  peaceable 
fruits  of  righteousness  unto  them  that  are  exercised  thereby." 
Certain  it  is  that  on  the  whole  the  Church  is  now  as  never 
before  striving  for  the  redemption  of  the  whole  of  every  man 
the  world  around;  so  that  the  movement  even  as  we  knew  it, 
in  Iowa,  with  all  its  excesses,  extravagances,  eccentricities 
and  its  sins,  was  one  of  the  "all  things"  working  together  for 
good.  Undoubtedly  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  main  con- 
tentions of  the  general  movement  are  now  generally  accepted. 
For  the  most  part  the  utterances  of  "The  Kingdom"  would 
be  mere  commonplace  today,  as  indeed  many  of  them  were 
then. 

The  mortuary  list  for  the  decade  is  a  long  one.  It  began 
with  Dr.  James  Hoyt  of  Keokuk,  whose  stay  in  Iowa  was  but 
brief,  but  whose  great  personality  still  left  its  impress  upon  the 
state.  Daniel  Lane  is  next;  then  E.  C.  Taylor  of  Percival, 
Juhus  A.  Reed,  Mrs.  Reed,  Charles  Gibbs  of  Cedar  Falls, 
J.  B.  Grinnell,  D.  R.  Lewis  of  Beacon  and  Givin,  H.  Geer  once 
of  Nevinville,  J.  W.  Peet  founder  of  the  church  at  Fontanelle, 


FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,   1890-1899       265 

E.  Y.  Swift  of  Penmark,  Charles  Little  of  Lewis,  Mrs.  Salter, 
Mrs.  Harvey  Adams,  Mrs.  Reuben  Gaylord,  Mrs.  J.  K. 
Nutting,  James  Alderson,  John  Todd,  Alphaeus  Graves, 
Jesse  Rogers,  James  Gilbert,  Mrs.  Robbins,  Joel  Bingham, 
Tudor  Jones,  Deacon  Oliver  Brooks,  H.  S.  De  Forest,  Pres- 
ident Magoun,  Harvey  Adams,  Alden  B.  Robbins,  Duncan 
McDermid,  Thomas  Pell  of  Sibley,  J.  T.  Cook  founder  of 
Plymouth  Church,  Des  Moines,  Colonel  Hebard  of  Red  Oak, 
Honorable  Charles  Beardsley  of  Burlington,  Mrs.  Magoun, 
Mrs.  Holbrook,  J.  M.  Chamberlain,  Z.  M.  Ellis  of  Niles, 
J.  R.  Upton,  Thomas  Grassie,  Samuel  Eveland  who  did  notable 
work  at  Reinbeck,  William  Spell,  M.  F.  Piatt,  W.  F.  Rose, 
J.  W.  Elzer,  Ebenezer  Alden  who  died  at  Marshfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, January  4,  1899,  E.  P.  Smith  of  Wayne,  Danville 
and  Wilton,  C.  A.  Towle,  Albert  Houston,  A.  E.  Everest  for 
many  years  state  agent  of  the  Bible  Society,  Father  L.  T. 
Rowley,  E.  0.  Bennett  of  Brighton,  Thomas  Merrill  of  Monroe, 
Fairfield  and  Baxter,  Richard  Hassell  and  Otto  Gerhardt. 

Of  the  scores  of  good  brethren  and  sisters  in  our  churches  who 
in  this  decade  passed  to  their  reward,  we  cannot  speak  a  single 
word  nor  even  enroll  their  names.  Of  a  few  of  our  ministerial 
household  we  must  speak  a  little  word  of  farewell.  Daniel 
Lane  was  the  first  one  of  the  Band  to  decide  for  Iowa.  To 
Iowa  he  gave  his  life;  ten  years  pastor  at  Keosauqua,  five 
years  in  the  college  at  Davenport,  four  years  at  Eddyville, 
six  at  Belle  Plaine,  then  closed  his  ministry  in  the  service  of 
the  college.  For  four  years  he  lived  in  Oskaloosa  in  daily 
fellowship  with  Father  Turner.  In  1882  he  removed  to  Free- 
port,  Maine,  where  he  died  April  3,  1890.  One  of  the  Iowa 
saints  was  this  good  man,  Daniel  Lane.  "The  only  perfect 
man  I  ever  knew,"  said  one  of  his  brother  ministers.  "I 
always  feel  like  hiding  when  I  see  Mr.  Lane  coming  along  the 
street,"  said  a  saloonist.  Brother  St.  John  tells  of  a  rough 
profane  drinking  man  who  said,  "Father  Lane  is  the  best  man 
that  ever  lived."    Mr.  St,  John  replied,  "I  think  he  is  one  of 


266  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

the  best."  This  did  not  satisfy  Mr,  Lane's  admirer.  Again 
he  said:  "Father  Lane  is  the  best  man  that  ever  lived." 
And  then  as  Mr.  St.  John  did  not  respond  with  sufficient  enthu- 
siasm, he  cried  out,  "Look  here  young  man,  I  tell  you  God 
Almighty  never  made  a  better  man  than  Daniel  Lane." 

Of  the  patriarchs,  Gaylord  was  the  first  to  be  called,  then 
Turner  and  now  Julius  A.  Reed,  August  27,  1890.  The  story 
of  his  life  work  may  be  found  on  many  pages  of  this  book.  We 
will  not  repeat.  Quotations  from  his  writings  abound.  He 
was  closely  associated  with  the  Iowa  work  from  1840  to  1890. 
He  filled  a  large  place  in  the  state  for  fifty  years.  He  contrib- 
uted much  to  the  making  of  the  denomination  and  the  com- 
monwealth. Mrs.  Reed  survived  her  husband  just  one  month. 
She  died  September  27.  She  was  a  teacher  in  Boston  and  in 
Jacksonville,  Illinois,  and  was  in  every  way  a  worthy  com- 
panion of  this  royal  pioneer  missionary. 

To  the  State  Association  holding  its  semi-centennial  in 
1890,  J.  B.  Grinnell  sent  an  affectionate  farewell,  enclosing  a 
check  for  one  hundred  dollars  for  home  missions,  but  the  next 
day  he  appeared  in  the  midst  of  the  brethren,  for  he  could  not 
be  denied  the  pleasure  of  seeing  their  faces  once  more.  But 
this  "once  more"  was  final.  The  last  days  of  weariness  and 
pain  ended  March  31,  1891.  Mr.  Grinnell  was  to  have  had 
a  place  on  the  program  of  the  Jubilee  meeting.  In  the  letter 
to  which  reference  has  been  made  he  tells  of  things  he  would 
have  been  glad  to  say:  "Acknowledging  the  goodness  of  the 
Master  in  driving  me  forth  from  my  Eastern  home,  with  plans 
which  I  hoped  might  be  for  the  elevation  of  man  and  the  pro- 
motion of  the  cause  of  Christ,  I  would  recall  that  thirty-six 
years  ago  on  this  prairie,  there  was  not  so  far  as  is  known  a 
Christian  of  any  denomination  to  dispute  occupancy  with 
prowling  beasts  or  coiling  reptiles.  Great  changes!  There  is 
now  a  Congregational  church  here  with  between  seven  and 
eight  hundred  members.  From  the  early  temporary  shanty, 
we  have  emerged  into  an  edifice  comely,  spacious  and  endur- 


FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,    1890-1899       267 

ing.  The  solitary  place  is  gladdened  by  the  college  in  its 
prosperity.  The  soil  here  -was  consecrated  to  temperance, 
education  and  religion.  May  this  anniversary  be  the  best 
of  all  the  gatherings.  Only  many  tongues  could  set  forth 
the  love  I  bear  to  you  all."  And  with  these  benedictions,  this 
unique,  forceful,  busy,  useful,  democratic,  brotherly  man  went 
out  from  us.  On  a  cold,  raw,  April  day,  we  literally  carried 
his  body  to  the  last  resting  place,  for  the  roads  were  too  rough 
for  hearse  or  carriages. 

In  our  Congregational  Iowa  life,  we  have  had  our  tragedies. 
Mrs.  Harvey  Adams  died  June  23,  1893,  at  the  Independence 
Asylum,  and  Mrs.  Salter,  June  12  was  killed  by  a  falling  tree 
in  the  Burlington  cemetery.  She  had  shared,  and  in  large  meas- 
ure made,  the  fortunes  of  her  husband  for  forty-seven  years. 
"A  quiet,  serene  life  was  ended  at  one  stroke,  a  life  which  from 
the  beginning  was  a  charm  and  blessing."  As  if  prophetic  of 
the  event  to  come,  she  carried  with  her,  on  that  fatal  day,  the 
Thanatopsis;  and  these  lines: 

"All  warning  spared 
For  none  is  needed  when  hearts  are  for  prompt  change  prepared." 

And  these: 

"The  day  will  dawn  when  one  of  us  shall  harken 
In  vain  to  hear  a  voice  that  has  grown  dumb. 
One  of  us  two  must  sometime  face  existence 
Alone  with  memories  that  sharpen  pain." 

In  sharp  contrast  was  the  slow  decline  of  Mrs.  Robbins. 
Mr.  Robbins  had  found  her  a  teacher  at  St.  Charles,  Illinois, 
in  1861.  She  became  at  once  the  mother  of  his  three  mother- 
less children,  and,  in  later  years,  six  more  were  born  to  them 
though  only  two  of  them  grew  up  to  maturity.  Age  added 
grace  and  charm  to  her  personality.  At  the  meetings  of  the 
State  Association,  you  would  nearly  always  meet  Mrs.  Robbins 
with  her  husband  and  she  would  greet  you  with  a  smile  and 
hearty  handclasp.     At  length  came  "waning  strength,  cessa- 


268  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

tion  from  work"  and  waiting,  not  without  pain  and  suffering, 
for  the  "appointed  time,"  June  22,  1894, 

We  must  devote  at  least  a  paragraph  to  Deacon  Jesse 
Rogers  of  Alden.  He  came  to  Hardin  County  from  New 
York  in  1856.  At  a  tavern  in  Waterloo  a  guest  remarked 
"The  Sabbath  has  not  yet  crossed  the  Mississippi."  "Oh 
yes,  it  has,"  he  responded,  "for  I  brought  it  when  I  crossed." 
He  was  one  of  the  foundation  stones  and  pillars  of  the  Alden 
church.  He  was  one  of  the  four  delegates  who  organized  the 
Northwestern  Association.  At  the  associational  gatherings, 
state  and  local,  you  were  pretty  sure  to  see  Deacon  Rogers. 
On  hearing  of  his  death  Dr.  Lyman  Whiting  wrote  to  Congre- 
gational Iowa  concerning  his  first  acquaintance  with  this  man : 

In  September,  1867,  Rev.  Chauncey  Taylor  called  Superintendent 
Guernsey  and  myself  to  his  installation  in  Algona.  It  was  also  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Association,  I  think,  held  in  a  schoolhouse  which  was  to  become 
an  "academy."  In  the  meeting  I  saw  a  face  which  held  my  eye  with  a 
strange  fascination,  it  so  recalled  a  portrait  I  had  seen.  I  sought  to  know 
the  man.  It  was  Deacon  Rogers.  Then  I  recollected  the  portrait  I  had 
often  reverently  gazed  upon  years  before,  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  in  the 
house  of  Mr.  Daniel  Rogers,  a  while  my  parishioner.  He  had  procured 
it  from  London — a  copy  of  the  martyr  John  Rogers,  his  ancestor.  There 
in  the  Algona  schoolhouse  sat  the  same  head  in  contour,  mode  of  hair, 
outhne  of  features  and  visible  temperament. 

We  do  not  know  that  the  blood-ties  here  suggested  have 
ever  been  traced,  but  can  well  believe  that  the  same  spirit  of 
devotion  which  belonged  to  the  old  martyr  animated  the  man 
from  Iowa. 

Joel  S.  Bingham  died  at  Dubuque  July  28,  1894.  He  was 
born  at  Cornwall,  Vermont,  October  16,  1815;  educated  at 
Marietta  and  Middlebury  and  had  pastorates  at  Leominster, 
Westfield,  and  East  Boston  before  coming  to  Iowa.  He  began 
at  Dubuque  in  1870,  and  in  1882  at  Traer,  and  retired  in  1890. 
Of  all  the  great  preachers  in  Dubuque  and  Iowa,  he  was  one 
of  the  greatest.  He  was  a  thinker  and  an  orator,  always  fresh 
^nd  glowing  with  spiritual  fervor. 


FROM   DAN  TO  BEERSHEBA,   1890-1899       269 

Dr.  Henry  S.  De  Forest,  of  Yale  University,  instructor  in 
Beloit  College,  a  stalwart  Christian,  one  of  God's  noblemen, 
fell  at  his  post  in  the  South,  January  27,  1896.  From  the 
Southland  came  the  message:  "Alabama  joins  with  Iowa  in 
grateful  recognition  of  his  worth  and  in  sorrow  for  his  early 
death." 

When  President  George  F.  Magoun  died  at  his  home  in 
Grinnell,  January  30,  1896,  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his 
age,  throughout  the  state  and  throughout  the  land  the  cry 
was  heard:  "How  are  the  mighty  fallen!"  He  was  born  in 
Bath,  Maine,  March  29,  1821.  Graduating  from  Bowdoin  and 
Andover,  his  first  work  in  the  West  was  in  Platteville  Academy 
in  Wisconsin.  Later  he  was  pastor  at  Galena,  at  Davenport 
and  at  Lyons,  but  his  great  work  was  done  in  the  presidency 
of  Iowa  College  to  which  he  was  elected  in  1862  though  he 
did  not  take  his  chair  until  1865.  No  more  fitting  memorial 
of  him  can  be  put  upon  this  page  than  that  which  appears  in 
the  Minutes  of  1896: 

Doctor  Magoun,  eloquent  as  a  preacher,  profound  as  a  thinker,  eminent 
as  an  educator,  was  one  of  the  strong  personal  forces  of  our  state  for  many 
years.  His  loyalty  to  his  conceptions  of  truth,  his  bold  and  convincing 
utterances,  his  interest  in  that  which  affected  men  socially,  politically 
and  religiously,  drew  attention  to  him  early.  He  was  a  man  to  be  taken 
accoimt  of,  so  all  felt  who  saw  his  grand  proportions  and  heard  his  trumpet 
voice.  He  was  intimately  associated  with  the  Congregational  fathers  of 
Iowa,  the  founders  of  Iowa  College.  It  was  not  strange  that  they  turned 
to  one  who  moved  before  them  like  a  king,  and  called  him  to  the  place 
which  it  was  long  his  pride  to  fill,  the  presidency  of  the  young  and  strug- 
gling school.  That  was  his  real  life-work.  It  commanded  him.  His 
heart  went  into  it.  He  gave  the  name  of  the  college  publicity.  He  drew 
to  it  the  respectful  and  kindly  thought  of  many  friends  who  opened  their 
hands  to  it  with  gifts.  In  the  time  of  the  great  disaster  his  name  and 
influence  meant  much  for  its  rebuilding.  His  hterary  activity  was  unre- 
mitting so  long  as  his  health  allowed,  and  even  after  it  was  seriously  broken. 
He  had  the  genius  of  work.  His  most  valuable  contribution  to  the  churches 
of  Iowa  is  his  "Life  and  Times  of  Asa  Turner."  It  is  a  monument  of 
patient  research,  showing  better  than  anything  else  the  work  of  those 
pioneers  who  planted  our  churches  in  Iowa.     He  held  the  pen  of  a  ready 


270  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

writer.  It  was  natural  for  him  to  speak  his  thought  fully.  He  was  quick 
to  defend  his  position,  if  assailed.  He  was  not  easily  intimidated;  the 
polemic  spirit  was  no  stranger  to  him.  He  loved  the  missionary  work 
and  the  workers  of  our  churches.  He  was  a  corporate  member  of  the 
American  Board.  He  was  before  the  war  an  earnest  opponent  of  slavery. 
The  cause  of  temperance  always  enlisted  his  hearty  sjTnpathy.  He  did 
a  good  work  and  will  live  in  the  respectful  memory  of  the  Christian  people 
of  Iowa  as  well  as  in  the  respect,  honor  and  affection  of  many  who,  as 
students,  learned  of  him  to  think  and  to  believe. 

This  same  year,  1896,  the  Band  was  again  broken  through 
the  death  of  two  of  its  members,  Harvey  Adams,  September 
23,  and  Doctor  Robbins,  December  27. 

The  comings  and  goings  of  Father  Harvey  Adams  have  been 
noted  on  many  a  page  of  this  book.  His  active  ministry 
closed  at  Bowen's  Prairie  in  1882.  After  that  his  home  was 
in  New  Hampton,  near  one  of  his  daughters.  The  last  four- 
teen years  of  his  life  he  spent  in  his  garden  and  with  his  books, 
but  was  rarely  absent  from  meetings  of  the  Association  and 
the  Commencements  of  the  college  of  which  he  was  a  trustee 
from  its  beginning  to  his  end.  He  was  constantly  reading  the 
Bible  in  course.  One  year  he  read  it  through  fourteen  times, 
another  year,  sixteen  times.  As  to  his  funeral  he  said:  "I 
have  no  directions  to  give,  but  there  are  one  or  two  hymns 
which  I  would  like  to  have  sung.  The  hymn  'Just  as  I  am,' 
I  would  like  to  have  them  sing  that,  and  sing  it  all."  "So, 
when  death  came,"  says  Brother  Ephraim  Adams,  "we  buried 
him  and  it  did  not  seem  like  death.  It  was  rather  the  setting 
of  the  sun  in  glory,  for  a  more  glorious  rising,  or  like  a  shock  of 
corn,  fully  ripe,  being  garnered  in."  So  passed  out  of  our 
sight  this  man  of  prayer,  this  scholarly,  logical,  biblical 
preacher,  this  faithful  minister  of  the  Word,  this  humble 
Christian  believer. 

The  name  of  Alden  B.  Robbins  has  appeared  again  and 
again  in  the  pages  of  this  history.  He  had  but  one  pastorate. 
He  began  in  Muscatine  in  November,  1843;  he  resigned  in 
1891,  and  was  pastor  emeritus  to  the  time  of  his  death.     He, 


FROM   DAN   TO   BEERSHEBA,    1890-1899       271 

too,  was  a  trustee  of  Iowa  College  from  its  founding  until 
he  was  taken.  He  was  for  many  years  one  of  the  directors  of 
Chicago  Theological  Seminary,  and  for  more  than  thirty  years, 
a  corporate  member  of  the  American  Board.  "  He  was  a  man 
of  positive  character  and  strong  convictions.  He  hated 
slavery,  polygamy,  the  liquor  traffic  and  vice  and  sin  of  all 
kinds."  He  was  outspoken  in  his  condemnation  of  evil,  yet 
so  gentle  and  manly  that  he  held  the  respect  and  admiration 
of  those  who  differed  from  him.  When  he  was  gone  from  them 
the  people's  tribute  wa§  voiced  in  such  words  as  these:  "Mus- 
catine mourns  the  death  of  one  of  her  purest,  noblest  and  best 
citizens.  For  more  than  fifty  years  he  was  in  a  preeminent 
way,  a  parish  priest,  a  preacher  for  the  entire  community. 
While  a  Congregationalist,  his  sphere  of  usefulness  knew  no 
denominational  bounds.  All  recognized  him  as  in  some  sense 
their  pastor."  The  closing  utterance  at  his  funeral  was, 
"Alden  B.  Robbins,  minister  of  Christ,  patriot  and  citizen, 
hail  and  farewell!" 

Of  the  many  notable  women  of  our  fellowship,  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Earle  Magoun  holds  a  foremost  place.  She  was  born  in 
Brunswick,  Maine,  August  28,  1833.  Graduating  from  Mt. 
Holyoke,  she  later  became  a  teacher  there.  She  married 
Doctor  Magoun  in  1870,  and  presided  as  Lady  Principal  of  the 
college  for  two  years.  From  1876  to  1895  she  was  president 
of  the  Iowa  Branch  of  the  Woman's  Board  of  Missions  for  the 
Interior.  Cultured,  refined,  a  brilliant  conversationalist,  a 
marvelous  Bible-class  teacher,  a  gifted  speaker,  glowing  with 
enthusiasm,  cordial  in  her  social  relations,  zealous  in  mission- 
ary endeavor,  she  was  for  many  years  a  woman  of  commanding 
influence  in  our  denominational  fife.  After  severe  and  pro- 
longed suffering  she  "fell  on  sleep"  January  7,  1896; 

Joshua  M.  Chamberlain  gave  to  Iowa  Congregationalism 
twoscore  years  of  service.  His  pastoral  work  in  Dubuque, 
Des  Moines  and  Eddyville  covered  a  period  of  about  ten  years. 
He  was  for  a  time  in  Christian  Commission  work  in  the  South 


272  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

and,  for  a  time,  served  the  American  Missionary  Association 
as  state  agent.  His  great  service  in  Iowa  was  in  behalf  of 
Iowa  College.  For  thirty-six  years  he  was  a  trustee,  for  nearly 
twenty  years  treasurer  and  financial  agent,  for  six  years 
librarian.  His  donations  to  the  college  ran  up  into  the  thou- 
sands. "The  Cottage" — so  on  to  be  apart  of  a  quadrangle  of 
women's  dormitories — stands  on  the  beautiful  grounds  where 
once  stood  the  Chamberlain  home,  these  grounds,  a  part  of 
his  gift  to  the  college.  He  was  for  years  connected  with  the 
Grinnell  Herald,  then  with  the  Grinnell  Independent.  He 
made  contributions  to  various  periodicals.  His  pen  was 
vigorous  and  trenchant.  He  always  wrote  to  secure  moral 
effect.  "He  never  reenforced  his  arguments  by  pleasantries 
or  gave  them  sting  by  ridicule.  His  style  was  that  of  a  man 
solemnly  in  earnest  and  so  possessed  with  his  idea  that  he 
would  not  be  turned  aside.  He  went  at  his  point  directly 
and  with  words  fitly  chosen."  Brother  Chamberlain  died 
November  11,  1897. 

Superintendent  Charles  A.  Towle  gave  us  seventeen  years 
of  solid  service,  beginning  in  1882;  for  four  years  at  Monti- 
cello  and  for  thirteen  years  in  the  Sunday  school  work.  While 
pushing  the  interests  of  the  Sunday  school  with  all  diligence 
and  faithfulness,  he  also  took  into  his  solicitude  and  care  all 
the  interests  of  all  the  churches.  Everywhere  he  was  wel- 
comed as  a  "holy  man  of  God,"  an  "Israelite  indeed  in  whom 
there  was  no  guile."  He  was  forceful  in  address  because  he 
was  forceful  in  character  and  strong  in  his  convictions.  He 
was  the  bearer  of  many  burdens  because  the  sacrificial  spirit 
of  the  Master  was  in  his  heart.  He  was  one  of  the  faithful 
servants  whom  the  Lord  finds  watching  and  ready  at  his 
coming. 


Chapter  XIII 
SCATTERING   ABROAD,  1900-1910 

Of  the  Congregational  Iowa  of  the  zero  decade  it  might  be 
said  as  of  the  good  man  of  the  Psalms,  "He  hath  dispersed, 
he  hath  given  to  the  needy." 

We  are  now  at  the  beginning  of  the  Twentieth  Century. 
Doctor  Salter  voices  the  prayer  of  the  Pilgrims  of  Iowa  in 
his  "Twentieth  Century  Hymn": 

"With  happy  hearts  and  loud  acclaim, 
We  bless,  O  Lord,  thy  mighty  name 
That  now,  in  mercy,  we  behold 
Another  century  unfold. 

Come,  Lord,  throughout  the  century  long, 
Oh,  come  to  overthrow  all  wrong; 
Save  us  from  pride,  from  lust  of  power, 
From  greed  that  would  thy  land  devour. 

Defend  with  thy  almighty  hand 
Justice  and  freedom  in  our  land; 
And  may  the  islands  of  the  sea 
Resound  the  anthems  of  the  free. 

May  knowledge  grow  from  more  to  more, 
Salvation  spread  from  shore  to  shore, 
And,  through  the  hundred  years  to  come, 
On  earth,  be  peace,  Thy  will  be  done. 

Oh,  may  thy  new  creation  rise 
On  every  land  beneath  the  skies, 
And  may  the  Twentieth  Century's  age 
Be  best  of  all  in  History's  page." 

The  beginnings  of  the  century  for  organized  Christianity 
in  Congregational  Iowa  are  not  reassuring.     At  the  very  first 
19  273 


274  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

meeting  of  Association  in  the  new  century,  we  discussed  the 
topic:  "The  decline  of  Church  Progress."  The  Home  Mis- 
sionary Secretary  reported: 

This  is  not  a  record  of  extensive  operations  or  of  large  achievementa. 
Our  receipts  were  only  $12,769.  Last  year  they  were  $15,140.  Foxir 
years  ago  they  were  $18,000  and  six  years  ago,  $21,280.  Why  this  faUing 
off?  Is  it  because  of  lack  of  confidence  in  the  administration?  Is  it  an 
indication  of  a  feeUng  that  the  work  is  not  very  important  or  very  much 
needed?  Is  it  another  token  of  a  general  religious  decline?  Or  is  it  some- 
thing less  radical — a  natural  dropping  down  from  the  heroic  efforts  made  in 
the  earUer  days  of  self-support,  when  this  work  crowded  out  other  interests 
or  crowded  them  into  a  corner?  Are  the  figures  exceptionally  small  because 
of  exceptional  conditions,  the  churches  all  building,  or  about  to  build,  or 
recuperating  after  building?  So,  too,  the  number  of  churches  organized 
was  only  five;  last  year  the  number  was  seven;  the  year  before  nine;  and 
in  1894  sixteen.  It  must  be  recorded  too,  that  there  were  not  many 
revivals  in  our  Home  Missionary  churches  and  not  many  accessions  and 
only  a  small  increase  in  membership  during  the  year.  The  report  must  be 
modest  and  moderate.  But  I  will  not  be  a  pessimist.  I  will  not  dwell 
on  the  gloomy  side  of  things.  If  there  is  sunshine  anywhere,  I  will  be  in  it; 
and  sunshine  there  is  everywhere. 

The  account  of  the  whole  decade  must  be  modest  and 
moderate.  The  new  churches  which  are  recorded  in  Chapter 
XVI,  are  only  twenty-five  as  against  ninety-five  in  the  pre- 
vious decade,  and,  according  to  our  Minutes,  there  is  an  actual 
net  loss  of  fourteen  churches.  The  net  increase  in  member- 
ship is  less  than  a  thousand  as  compared  with  over  thirteen 
thousand  in  the  previous  decade.  In  some  respects  at  least, 
it  is  a  period  of  stagnation  if  not  decadence. 

Considering  the  occasions  of  this  decline,  the  most  obvious 
is  the  decrease  of  population,  and  the  occasion  of  this  is  the 
craze  for  cheap  lands.  In  the  last  ten  years,  Iowa  has  lost 
many  thousands  of  her  population  to  other  states  and  to 
Canada,  the  actual  decrease  in  population  being  about  eight 
thousand.  Hood  River,  Oregon,  has  an  Iowa  Association  of 
six  hundred  members.  It  is  reported  that  at  the  last  Iowa 
picnic  in  Los  Angeles  thirty-five  thousand  lowans  were  present, 


SCATTERING  ABROAD,   1900-1910  275 

and  that  at  a  picnic  in  North  Dakota  all  but  three  were  from 
Iowa;  at  another  every  one  was  from  the  Hawkeye  state; 
"not  a  hoof  was  left  behind."  The  migration  has  taken  from 
us  thousands  of  our  members  and  many  of  our  ministers, 
playing  havoc  with  scores  of  our  weaker  churches  and  affect- 
ing both  the  large  and  the  small.  We  read  in  1904  of  an 
"Iowa  Band  of  Oklahoma"  composed  of  O.  W.  Rogers,  I.  M. 
McSkimming,  J.  W.  Turner,  S.  H.  Seccombe,  M.  C.  Haecker, 
0.  M.  Humphrey  and  others,  sixteen  in  all;  and  how  they 
banqueted  and  toasted:  "Iowa  Mush  and  Milk,"  "My  Flight 
from  Iowa,"  "An  Iowa  Prison  Experience,"  "The  Iowa 
Band,"  etc. 

In  the  September  issue  of  "Congregational  Iowa"  for  1904, 
Doctor  Frisbie  tells  of  one  of  Iowa's  losses  to  the  regions 
beyond:  "We  are  accustomed  to  forays  from  the  East.  Good 
men  come  here  and  add  a  cubit  to  their  stature — reach  up 
to  the  level  where  they  are  observed — and  the  East  begins  to 
look  them  up,  opens  a  door  to  them  and  entices  them  away. 
We  are  glad  to  send  help  to  the  East,  for  it  has  bestowed  a 
great  deal  of  pity  on  us.  But  here  is  a  new  inroad.  We  are 
assailed  from  the  West,  most  unexpectedly,  and,  not  a  local 
church  now,  but  a  whole  state  calls  Brother  Packard  from  us. 
Tennyson  makes  his  Northern  Farmer  ask: '  Does  God  A'moity 
know  wot  He's  a-doin',  a-takin'  o'  mea?'  So  we  wonder  if 
Nebraska  knows  what  she's  a-doin',  a-takin'  o'  Brother 
Packard  away.  He  is  the  father  confessor  of  the  north  coun- 
try in  which  he  lives.  Nashua,  Ionia,  Woden,  Riceville  and 
Buffalo  Center  with  many  other  places,  have  felt  his  strong, 
manly  help;  his  kind,  sagacious  counsel.  He  has  a  knack  at 
usefulness  and  somehow  keeps  the  knack  busy.  We  shall  miss 
Brother  Packard.  He  has  been  with  us  a  good  many  years — 
laborious,  fruitful  years.  The  Nebraska  Superintendent  of 
Home  Missions  need  not  worry  himself  to  find  work  for  Brother 
Packard.  He  may  be  counted  on  to  find  work  for  himself." 
There  are  many  records  of  this  sort  in  this  decade. 


276  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

No  doubt  there  are  other  reasons  for  the  decline:  the  dis- 
crediting of  organized  Christianity;  the  cry  ''Too  many 
churches";  theological  views  unfavorable  to  evangelism;  criti- 
cisms of  the  "old  evangelism"  and  much  talk  about  the 
"new"  which  does  not  yet  appear,  and — admirable  occasion 
for  loss  at  home! — a  rising  enthusiasm  for  foreign  missions, 
absorbing  the  attention  and  gifts  of  sisterhoods  and  brother- 
hoods in  this  great,  world-wide  work. 

And  yet  there  are  results,  and  there  is  progress.  Early  in 
the  decade  we  dismissed  all  of  our  home  missionary  evangelists, 
and  all  our  general  missionaries  excepting  Dr.  D.  P.  Breed; 
but  "Billy"  Sunday  is  here,  with  Milford  Lyon,  and  Oscar 
Lowery,  and  other  independent  evangelists,  and  our  evange- 
listic pastors  are  still  at  work.  Little  Adelphi  reports  in  one 
year  the  addition  of  sixty;  little  Union  seventy-one;  little 
Exira  one  hundred;  little  Humeston,  one  hundred  and  fourteen; 
Tabor,  ninety-two;  Marshalltown,  ninety-three;  Reinbeck, 
eighty;  Dubuque  First,  one  hundred  and  four;  Des  Moines 
Plymouth,  one  hundred  and  eleven;  Grinnell,  one  hundred  and 
thirty-eight;  Spencer,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five,  and 
Mason  City,  one  hundred  and  fifty-four.  The  accessions  of 
the  decade  were  31,189,  falling  only  7,525  below  the  record  of 
the  decade  previous.  These  figures  indicate  that  our  small 
gain  in  membership  is  not  proof  positive  of  great  decline  in 
evangelistic  activity  and  fervor.  The  best  evangelistic  year 
of  the  decade  was  1909.  Our  loss  of  members  in  the  ten  years 
was  more  than  thirty  thousand.  This  scattering  abroad  of 
our  membership  is  the  occasion  of  our  small  gains. 

The  dedications  of  the  decade  number  sixty-eight.  We 
have  no  better  bunch  of  buildings  than  these.  First  comes 
Cresco,  dedicated  January  23,  1900,  President  Gates  and 
Secretary  Douglass,  assisting;  the  cost  $15,000.  Hinsdale 
dedicated  February  4,  and  Cherokee,  February  25.  The  cost 
of  the  Cherokee  building  is  $18,000.  President  Blanchard  of 
Wheaton  was  preacher  for  the  occasion;  he  did  not  raise  the 


SCATTERING   ABROAD,    1900-1910  277 

debt.  At  Ames,  March  18,  Brother  Moulton  preached  the 
dedication  sermon.  We  left  no  incubus  of  debt  behind  us 
here.  The  Ames  building  is  a  beautiful  one,  in  the  English 
Gothic  style,  artistic,  simple,  solid,  unique  in  its  inside  finish 
of  pressed  brick  and  art  tapestry.  If  possible  it  looks  better 
today  than  on  the  day  of  dedication.  When  the  corner-stone 
was  laid,  Professor  Wynn,  of  the  State  College  read  the  follow- 
ing poem  based  on  the  recently  discovered  "Logia" — the 
same  word  of  the  Lord  which  suggested  Henry  Van  Dyke's 
"Toiling  of  Felix": 

Raise  the  stone  and  thou  shalt  find  me, 
Cleave  the  wood  and  I  am  there.' 
O,  my  Lord,  thy  love  shall  bind  me, 
Find  and  bind  me  everywhere. 

What  were  I  if  left  without  Thee 

Cleaving  wood  or  raising  stone, 

While  Thy  heavens  around  Thee,  shout  Thee 

King  upon  Thy  lonely  throne? 

What  my  eyes  may  see  in  seeing, 
What  my  ears  in  hearing  hear, 
Deep  within  my  inmost  being, 
There  Thy  form  and  face  appear. 

With  the  toilers  that  attend  Thee, 
Myriads  in  the  sun  and  soil, 
Nought  there  is  that  may  offend  thee 
But  the  will  that  will  not  toil. 

Or  in  selfish  isolation 
Fevered  with  the  pulse  of  pain, 
Finds  not  Thee  for  consolation. 
Grinding  in  the  mills  of  gain. 

One  he  is  who  will  not  own  Thee 
Cleaving  wood  or  raising  stone. 
He  would  raise  the  stone  to  stone  Thee, 
Cleave  the  wood  to  hang  Thee  on. 

O,  my  Lord,  my  lips  confess  Thee 
From  a  heaving  heart  of  care. 
May  Thy  loving  hands  caress  me. 
Find  and  bless  me  everywhere." 


278  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

So  the  record  runs  on  through  the  year  and  the  years;  dedi- 
cations at  Toledo,  Manchester,  Baxter,  a  Sunday  school  annex 
to  Davenport  Edwards,  Alden,  Burlington,  Clarion,  Fontan- 
elle,  Monticello,  Harlan,  Corning,  etc. 

The  dedication  at  Minden,  August  1^,  1901,  was  a  unique 
affair.  We  marched  from  the  pastor's  house  to  the  church 
on  the  hill.  With  religious  ceremonies  we  "opened  the  doors" 
and  marched  down  the  aisles.  The  German  preachers  spoke 
from  the  high  pulpit,  surmounted  by  a  sounding  board  upon 
the  wall;  the  English  preaching  was  done  from  the  reading- 
desk  in  front  of  the  "reredos"  back  of  which  is  the  choir.  We 
had  the  baptism  of  infants  with  god-fathers  and  god-mothers 
and  the  sign  of  the  cross  upon  the  forehead.  We  had  the 
communion,  the  communicants  coming  in  groups,  first  the 
pastors,  then  the  choir,  then  the  men  in  two  companies,  then 
the  women,  the  officiating  minister  placing  the  wafer  on  our 
tongues  and  holding  the  chalice  to  our  lips.  This  is  Congre- 
gationalism adapting  itself  to  circumstances! 

The  Feast  of  Dedication  of  the  third  sanctuary  at  Osage 
continued  four  days.  This  building  expands  and  contracts 
like  a  telescope,  the  full  seating  capacity  being  one  thousand 
two  hundred,  the  cost  thirty-two  thousand  dollars.  For  a 
town  of  three  thousand  this  house  of  worship  has  no  duplicate 
within  our  borders.  Charles  City,  a  town  of  seven  thousand, 
dedicated  March  12,  1911,  a  fine  building  costing  thirty-four 
thousand  dollars. 

The  Congregational  Cathedral  of  Iowa  is  the  sanctuary  of 
Plymouth  Church,  Des  Moines.  It  cost  one  hundred  and 
fifteen  thousand  dollars,  and  will  seat  two  thousand  people. 
F.  J.  Van  Horn  was  pastor  at  the  beginning  and  the  end  of 
the  enterprise.  The  dedication  was  June  5,  1902,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  meeting  of  the  State  Association.  This  noble 
structure,  in  picture,  speaks  for  itself. 

The  cornerstone  of  the  house  of  worship  for  our  colored 
Congregational  people  of  Des  Moines  was  laid  September  3, 


SCATTERING   ABROAD,    1900-1910  279 

1905,  Governor  Cummins  and  Judge  McHenry  assisting  in 
the  ceremonies.  The  building  grew  slowly,  a  little  at  a  time, 
in  the  midst  of  great  difficulties.  Pastor  Porter,  a  trained 
mechanic  before  he  was  a  minister,  laid  the  first  and  last 
brick,  and  sometimes  worked  alone.  The  house  was  not 
ready  for  dedication  until  December  20,  1908;  the  last  bills 
were  not  paid  until  the  last  of  the  year  1910,  the  Church 
Building  Society  assisting  generously.  Other  dedications  of 
the  decade  are  recorded  in  Chapter  XVI. 

In  this  decade  of  decline,  interest  and  activity  in  missions 
as  a  whole  are  unabated.  While  we  do  less  for  Iowa  home 
missions,  we  do  more  for  the  work  beyond.  We  send  our  men 
to  the  West  by  the  dozens,  our  members  and  money  by  the 
tens  of  thousands.  One  feels  perfectly  at  home  in  any  western 
association  or  conference,  so  many  Iowa  men  are  there.  If 
you  speak  in  almost  any  church  on  the  Coast  from  San  Diego 
to  Bellingham,  or  anywhere  in  the  great  Northwest,  a  score 
or  more  of  Iowa  people  will  come  up  to  shake  your  hand  and, 
perhaps,  remind  you  that  they  "have  heard  that  same  address 
before." 

Early  in  the  decade  it  was  said:  "The  churches  are  showing 
indications  of  a  coming  access  of  missionary  zeal  not  heretofore 
possessed.  The  rise  of  this  spirit  is  intuitively  felt  rather  than 
clearly  defined.  It  is  strong  and  quiet  like  the  incoming  tide." 
This  forecast  has  been  verified  in  the  great  missionary  move- 
ments of  these  latter  years,  the  great  Diamond  Jubliee  at 
Boston,  the  Laymen's  Movement  for  Foreign  Missions  and 
the  Brotherhood  Movement,  naturally,  inevitably  and  almost 
unconsciously  sliding  into  misisonary  activity.  In  1902  we 
began  to  give  ten  per  cent,  of  our  home  missionary  receipts  to 
the  national  society  for  work  in  the  regions  beyond,  and  in  1906 
we  raised  the  amount  to  twenty  per  cent.,  the  whole  amount 
thus  expended  in  the  decade  being  $55,000. 

Through  our  representatives  we  have  had  a  share  in  numer- 
ous missionary  campaigns;  in  New  England;  on  "the  Coast"; 


280  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

in  the  great  Northwest;  in  the  Interior;  among  the  theological 
seminaries  enlisting  men  for  the  work;  and  we  had  a  large 
share  in  the  great  "joint  missionary  campaign"  by  which  we 
set  all  our  societies  free  from  the  bondage  of  debt  and  sent 
them  out  to  larger  service.  We  gave  our  Associate  Secretary 
for  six  months  to  this  enterprise,  and  put  $7,000  into  it.  In 
other  fields  of  missionary  work  there  has  been  an  increase  of 
interest  and  activity.  Contributions  to  the  American  Mis- 
sionary Association  exceeded  those  of  the  previous  decade  by 
$11,000;  the  increase  for  Foreign  missions  was  $40,000;  for 
all  benevolences  $187,000.  At  the  Association  meeting  of 
1900,  where  we  were  mourning  "the  decline  of  church  progress," 
we  pledged  ourselves  to  the  "Forward  Movement"  in  foreign 
missionary  work,  and  we  have  had  a  share  in  all  the  great 
movements,  denominational  and  inter-denominational,  for 
world-wide  missions. 

Two  of  the  great  historic  meetings  of  our  denomination 
have  been  held  in  Iowa,  both  with  the  Des  Moines  Plymouth 
church;  the  American  Board  meeting  with  its  "great  theologi- 
cal debate"  introducing  the  "Andover  Controversy"  in  1886, 
and  of  the  National  Council  in  October,  1904.  It  was  an  "Iowa 
idea"  that  all  the  missionary  societies  should  meet  with  the 
Council.  As  a  beginning,  the  State  Association  sent  the 
Home  Missionary  Secretary  East  to  capture  if  possible,  the 
National  Home  Missionary  Society  for  the  Council.  Of  the 
success  of  this  effort  and  its  significance,  the  Boston  Transcript 
spoke  as  follows:  "Rev.  T.  0.  Douglass,  Secretary  of  the  Iowa 
State  Home  Missionary  Society,  came  out  of  the  West  and  per- 
formed, it  is  said,  a  marked  service  to  Congregationalists.  For 
three  or  four  years  the  benevolent  societies  of  this  denomina- 
tion have  been  expressing  themselves,  through  their  execu- 
tives, in  favor  of  meetings  at  the  same  time  and  place.  But 
somehow  calls  for  the  meetings  were  never  issued.  Iowa  pre- 
sented to  the  recent  meeting  of  the  Home  Missionary  Society, 
and  on  behalf  of  Plymouth  church,  Des  Moines,  an  invitation 


SCATTERING   ABROAD,    1900-1910  281 

to  meet  in  the  Iowa  state  capital,  in  connection  with  the  Con- 
gregational National  Council,  The  invitation  was  accepted 
with  enthusiasm,  and  it  is  now  said  the  Iowa  executive  will 
extend  the  same  invitation  to  the  American  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation and  to  the  American  Board,  at  their  meetings  this  fall. 
The  former  has  for  years  been  favoring  common  meetings  and 
can  hardly  decline  the  invitation.  This  meeting  will  carry  with 
it  at  least  two  of  the  smaller  benevolent  societies,  possibly 
three,  and  if  the  American  Missionary  Association  acquiesces, 
as  seems  likely,  the  discussion  of  years  will  have  borne  fruit 
and  Congregationalists  will  at  last  have  brought  their  home 
missionary  efforts  together.  Although  the  matter  may  seem 
small,  this  one  of  the  societies  meeting  together,  means  almost 
as  much  toward  unity  as  the  coming  together  of  some  of  the 
separated  Protestant  bodies." 

The  cooperation  of  all  the  benevolent  societies  was  finally 
secured  except  in  the  case  of  the  American  Board  which  com- 
promised by  arranging  its  annual  meeting  at  Grinnell  imme- 
diately preceding  the  meeting  of  the  Council  in  Des  Moines, 
so  that  it  was  practically  one  great  meeting  with  a  railway 
journey  of  fifty-five  miles  for  an  interlude.  This  second  meet- 
ing of  the  Board  in  Iowa  was  marked  by  a  broadening  of  its 
internal  organization,  a  step  toward  true  Congregationalism  in 
the  provision  that  local  Associations  might  nominate  members 
of  the  Board. 

As  to  the  Council,  the  Outlook  said:  "It  was  in  every  way 
the  most  remarkable  meeting  which  has  been  held  in  the 
history  of  American  Congregationalism.  It  seemed  to  mark 
the  beginning  of  a  new  era  of  progress  for  the  denomination. 
The  attendance  was  larger  than  ever  before;  the  addresses 
as  a  whole  were  more  notable,  the  spiritual  tone  more  pro- 
nounced, and  the  consciousness  of  a  noble  mission  more 
evident." 

Four  dominant  notes  were  struck  which  it  was  hoped  con- 
tained a  prophecy  for  the  immediate  future:  a  movement 


282  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

toward  church  unity  in  the  shape  of  "Tri-union"  with  the 
United  Brethren  and  Methodist  Protestants  here  reached  its 
acme.  This  was  not  consummated,  owing  to  various  practi- 
cal obstacles  which  later  arose,  but  the  possibility  of  such 
amalgamations  came  close  home  to  our  consciousness  and  the 
results  are  yet  to  be.  A  movement  was  initiated  looking  to 
a  more  practical  and  business-like  dealing  with  our  benevolent 
organizations.  Its  results  have  been  seen  in  some  of  the 
changes  in  organization  and  personnel  within  the  societies 
and  in  the  missionary  "movements"  and  "campaigns"  which 
have  followed  one  another  since  1904.  Since  the  Council  of 
1910  we  may  now  say,  "Now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than 
when  we  first  believed."  An  evangelistic  movement,  which 
was  to  be  a  "new  evangelism"  was  put  under  way,  W.  J. 
Dawson  of  London  being  a  moving  spirit  and  its  chosen  leader. 
It  cannot  be  claimed  that  the  movement  itself  was  a  great  suc- 
cess, but  here  too,  we  may  hope,  was  an  earnest  of  what  shall 
come  to  its  fullness  later.  Finally  a  thorough  overhauling  of 
our  denominational  polity  gained  impetus  through  the  debate 
upon  the  duties  of  a  moderator.  This  movement,  turned  in 
the  direction  of  the  "tightening  up"  of  organization  in  our 
various  state  and  local  bodies,  is  going  merrily  on,  with  what 
results  the  future  alone  can  tell.  It  looks  now  as  if  we  would 
scarcely  know  ourselves  a  decade  hence.  The  whole  meeting 
was  one  of  unusual  inspiration,  and  this  coming  of  the  Council 
and  of  the  Societies  into  the  Middle  West,  with  its  progressive, 
democratic  spirit  was  a  boon  to  the  denomination.  Certainly 
it  was  an  inspiration  to  us,  appreciated  to  the  full  by  hundreds 
of  ministers  and  laymen  who  had  never  before  enjoyed  such  a 
privilege,  and  it  left  a  most  wholesome  effect  upon  our  work. 
The  Board  meeting  of  1886  with  its  great  theological  contro- 
versy was  not  a  blessing  to  Iowa.  Some  of  us  at  the  time 
"groaned  in  spirit"  and  said,  "Oh,  why  did  they  bring  this 
thing  out  here  to  'disturb  and  distress  our  churches!'" 
There  is  no  space  for  semi-centennial  reports,  enjoyable  as 


SCATTERING   ABROAD,    1900-1910  283 

these  occasions  are.     More  than  sixty  churches  pass  the  half- 
century  mark  within  this  decade. 

An  event  of  especial  interest,  particularly  to  the  author  of 
these  pages,  was  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  home  mis- 
sionary self-support  in  Iowa,  at  which  time  the  old  Secretary 
retired  from  office  giving  place  to  Dr.  P.  Adelstein  Johnson, 
whose  efficient  hand  is  now  at  the  helm.  Secretary  Douglass's 
last  report  contains  the  following  reminiscences: 

Some  of  the  accomplishments  of  the  twenty-five  years,  in  which  the 
Society  has  had  a  hand,  are  as  follows:  One  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
churches  organized;  one  hundred  and  eighteen  fostered  into  self-support; 
two  hundred  and  twenty-two  houses  of  worship  completed  and  dedicated; 
78,958  added  to  the  membership  of  the  chu-^ches;  48,830  of  these  on  con- 
fessions of  faith;  the  membership  increased  from  15,787  to  36,483;  $1,176,- 
225  raised  for  missions,  mostly  for  missions  outside  of  Iowa.  We  have 
nothing  to  boast  of  in  these  accompUshments,  but  we  need  not  be  greatly 
ashamed  of  the  record;  and  over  it  we  may  humbly  rejoice,  and  thank 
God,  and  take  courage. 

Of  the  incidents  of  the  service  there  is  not  time  to  speak  at  length.  Of 
course  there  were  some  hardships;  night  travel;  hours  of  waiting  at  Abbott 
Crossing,  and  other  crossings,  the  soft  side  of  a  board  often  a  lux\iry;  cold 
rides;  cold  beds,  and  beds  preoccupied;  and  other  little  discomforts  of  this 
sort.  "The  breaking  of  the  home  ties,"  and  the  giving  up  of  the  study, 
were  more  serious  hardships;  the  greatest  burden  of  all,  the  care  of  all  the 
churches. 

But  the  burden  of  the  service  has  not  fallen  on  that  great  hulk  of  a  man 
called  the  Secretary.  The  burden  has  rested  on  the  shoulders  and  heart 
of  the  httle  woman  left  with  the  care  of  the  home  and  the  six  babies,  and 
the  seventh  adopted. 

But  we  have  had  our  compensations:  Residence  in  Grinnell;  close 
association  with  Iowa  College;  the  stimulus  of  great  interests  and  enter- 
prises keeping  the  head  full  and  the  heart  full;  association  with  "the 
brightest  and  best  of  the  sons  of  the  morning"  in  Iowa  and  in  the  whole 
country;  kindness,  sympathy,  hospitaUty  and  good  cheer  greeting  us  on 
every  side.  We  have  had  our  compensations  and  we  are  glad  and  thank- 
ful. Unless  memory  plays  us  false  we  will  have  almost  nothing  but  pleas- 
ant things  to  think  of  in  connection  with  the  service. 

The  committee  meetings  were  serious  and  strenuous,  and  sometimes 
oppressive,  but  they  were  bright  spots,  too;  seasons  of  fellowship.  My, 
how  sometimes  things  would  crack  and  flash  md  sparkle  when  Friable 


284  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

and  Snowden  got  at  it !  And  Vittum  sometimes  had  a  story,  and  Wells  a 
conundrum !     And  there  were  others  not  far  behind. 

And  what  fun  at  dedications,  raising  money  to  pay  last  bills !  And 
what  joy  to  stand  over  against  the  treasury,  and  see  the  money  flow  in ! 

That  was  a  great  day  to  us  when  Bert  Smith— I  mean  Hon.  J.  A.  Smith, 
of  Osage — flung  out  this  challenge  to  the  congregation:  "Whatever  the 
rest  of  you  will  do,  I'll  duplicate,"  and  the  little  speech  cost  him  one  hun- 
dred dollars.  And  that  was  a  great  day  to  me  when  Hall  Roberts  handed 
out  an  envelope  and  said,  "Enclosed  you  will  find  for  your  work  six  hun- 
dred dollars."  It  nearly  took  my  breath  away.  And  not  long  ago  I  laughed 
and  I  cried  over  a  httle  piece  of  paper  as  it  lay  on  my  table — a  check  for 
one  thousand  dollars  for  home  missions.  Rich  treasures  are  laid  up  for 
us  in  the  memory  of  the  service. 

The  mortuary  list  of  the  decade,  if  written  out  in  full,  would 
make  mention  of  one  hundred  and  twelve  men  who  did  pastoral 
work  in  Iowa,  besides  scores  of  names  of  prominent  laymen  and 
women  who  in  these  years  pass  from  our  fellowship  to  the 
communion  of  the  saints  above. 

First  in  the  list  comes  the  name  of  Father  Judeisch.  He 
came  to  America  and  Iowa  in  1850.  He  began  preaching  at 
Pine  Creek  in  1859.  He  was  fourteen  years  at  Grand  View 
and  fifteen  at  Davenport.  "He  preached  a  thorough  conver- 
sion, and  a  godly  life  through  a  living  faith  in  Jesus  Christ." 
At  our  Association  meetings  he  always  spoke  in  English  but 
prayed  in  German.  Some  of  us  who  had  no  knowledge  of  the 
language  learned  the  opening  sentence  of  his  prayer,  "Wir 
danken  Dir,  lieber  Vater."  One  of  the  many  contributions  of 
Germany  to  Iowa  was  this  good  man  Frederick  W.  Judeisch. 

The  second  name  is  Loren  F.  Berry.  In  1890  an  Ottumwa 
member  inquired  of  Secretary  Douglass  "Have  you  a  man  for 
us?"  The  quick  response  was,  "Yes,  Berry  of  Fremont, 
Nebraska."  He  gave  us  eight  years  of  great  service.  It 
would  be  difficult  for  any  man  to  put  more  into  eight  years  than 
he  did  at  Ottumwa.  Two  hundred  and  forty  were  added  to 
membership,  one  hundred  and  forty-six  of  these  on  confession 
of  faith;  and  he  served  the  whole  state  as  trustee  of  Iowa 
College,  and  as  a  member,  part  of  the  time  chairman,  of  the 


SCATTERING   ABROAD,   1900-1910  285 

Executive  Committee  of  the  Iowa  Congregational  Home 
Missionary  Society.  As  preacher,  pastor  and  executive  he 
had  few  equals.     His  friendship  had  a  grip  that  never  lets  go. 

Next  on  the  list  is  Mrs.  Daniel  Lane  who  died  at  Freeport, 
Maine,  April  10,  1900.  She  was  a  true  "yoke-fellow"  with 
her  husband  in  all  his  work  in  the  pastorate  and  in  the  college. 
"She  carried  sweetness  and  light  into  every  situation  and  in- 
corporated her  life  in  patience,  humility,  and  godly  sincerity 
with  the  work  of  Christ." 

Mrs.  L.  F.  Parker  came  with  her  husband  from  Oberlin,  and 
shared  his  home  and  work  at  Grinnell  and  Iowa  City,  and  a 
second  time  at  Grinnell.  For  seven  years  she  was  Lady 
Principal  of  Iowa  College  and  for  nearly  twenty-five  years 
identified  with  the  Iowa  Branch  of  the  Woman's  Board  of 
Missions  for  the  Interior.  The  women  of  Iowa  made  their 
Twentieth  Century  Offering  a  tribute  to  her  before  she  passed 
away,  of  which  she  said,  "Oh,  if  their  kind  words  made  me  so 
happy,  how  shall  I  feel  if  the  Master  should  say,  'Well  done.'" 
She  died  June  5,  1900. 

At  last  John  C.  Holbrook  came  to  his  coronation.  If  he 
had  been  born  eight  years  earlier,  he  would  have  lived  in  three 
centuries.  He  wrote  his  "Recollections  of  a  Nonagenarian," 
at  the  age  of  eighty-nine.  He  died  at  Stockton,  California,  well 
along  in  the  ninety-third  year  of  his  life.  These  pages  have 
already  depicted  the  man.  He  was  a  Puritan  of  Puritans,  a 
"divine  right  Congregationalist,"  a  preacher,  evangelist, 
student,  writer,  a  busy,  tireless,  efficient  worker,  a  glorious  man, 
the  last  of  the  patriarchs! 

Good  Brother  William  L.  Coleman  gave  us  over  forty  years 
of  faithful  and  efficient  service.  He  organized  the  church  at 
Bellevue.  He  was  for  many  years  bishop  of  the  Mitchell 
Association  and  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  Sioux  country. 
He  died  among  strangers,  who  became  friends  to  him,  at  Port- 
land, Oregon,  November  9,  1900. 

March  12,  1902,  the  long-awaited  message  came  to  Moses 


286  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

K.  Cross.  From  his  cottage,  "Under  the  Pines,"  in  Waterloo 
in  May,  1900,  he  sent  a  tender  message  to  his  brethren  of  the 
State  Association,  telling  of  the  meeting  of  the  fathers  and 
brethren  of  the  early  times.  Reed  and  Guernsey,  Emerson  and 
Magoun,  Thatcher  and  De  Forest  and  others,  "all  good  and 
noble  men  who  have  now,  we  trust,  safely  reached  the  'shining 
shore'  of  which  they  loved  to  sing  with  the  rest  of  us  while  in 
the  body."  "With  impaired  health  in  early  life,  I  never  ex- 
pected to  be  an  old  man.  With  deep  consciousness  of  short- 
comings and  imperfections,  yet  with  blessings  and  mercies 
more  than  can  be  numbered,  trusting  only  and  gratefully  in  the 
all-sufficient  sacrifice  offered  'once  for  all,'  I  calmly  wait  the 
great  transition  which  cannot  be  far  away.  '  Now  also,  when 
I  am  old  and  grey-headed  and  my  strength  faileth,  O  God 
forsake  me  not!'"  This  communication,  coming  from 
Brother  Cross,  must  of  course  close  with  a  poetic  stanza: 

"I  would  not  know 
Which  of  us  brethren  will  be  first  to  go; 
I  only  know  the  space  cannot  be  long 
Between  the  greeting  and  the  parting  song; 
But  when  or  where  or  how  we're  called  to  go, 
I  would  not  know." 

Here  is  a  faithful  picture  of  the  man  as  he  appeared  in  the 
evening  of  fife,  sketched  evidently,  by  the  hand  of  Ephraim 
Adams : 

Always  intent  upon  doing  good,  he  was  much  among  the  people,  having 
an  eye  for  the  sick  and  sorrowing  and  for  the  new-comers.  His  urbanity 
of  spirit,  his  cultured  mind,  his  cordial  cooperation  with  all  denominations 
in  Christian  work  and  in  promoting  the  public  welfare,  won  him  universal 
respect  and  honor.  He  was  a  generous  scholar,  of  wide  reading,  of  fine 
taste  and  an  open  mind.  In  both  rehgious  and  secular  matters  he  kept 
abreast  the  times.  In  light  reading,  so  called,  he  never  indulged.  He 
took  special  delight  in  the  biography  of  noble  hves.  He  was  devoted 
to  hterature  and  poetry,  especially  hymnology.  He  said,  "My  preaching 
days  are  over;  I  must  do  what  I  do  with  my  pen."  A  ready  and  volumi- 
nous writer,  he  contributed  many  valuable  articles  to  the  press.  He  was 
a  lover  of  nature  and,  while  health  allowed,  his  erect  form  and  his  crown 


SCATTERING  ABROAD,   1000-1910  287 

of  snowy  hair,  worn  long  and  in  curls,  gave  an  added  charm  to  the  wooded 
landscape  and  to  the  riverside,  where  he  loved  to  ramble  and  meditate 
and  muse  in  the  open.  He  preserved  his  mental  vigor  to  the  last.  Two 
days  before  his  death  he  attended  a  meeting  of  the  Twin  City  Ministerial 
Union  (of  Waterloo  and  Cedar  Falls)  and  took  part  as  usual  in  the  dis- 
cussions. He  breathed  his  last  after  only  a  few  hours  of  illness,  March 
12,  1902,  and,  in  the  words  of  one  of  his  favorite  poets, 
"He  went 
To  share  the  holy  rest  that  waits  a  hfe  well  spent." 

Dr.  Lyman  Whiting  was  with  us  only  a  short  time,  but  his 
services  were  of  the  highest  order,  and  he  left  the  ineffaceable 
impress  of  his  spirit  upon  the  churches  of  the  state.  He  filled 
the  pulpit  and  pews  of  the  old  First  Church  of  Dubuque  for 
five  years,  1864-69.  The  old  church  bell  "  cracked  its  cheeks" 
at  the  news  from  Appomattox,  but  the  preacher's  tongue  ran 
on  for  liberty  and  righteousness.  For  two  years  he  was 
associated  with  Superintendent  Guernsey  in  editing  the  Iowa 
News  Letter.  From  his  studj  "Under  the  Church  Eaves," 
articles  went  out  to  the  Advance  and  other  periodicals  pub- 
lishing Iowa  to  the  world.  He  was  in  great  demand  for 
special  occasions  and  was  always  too  brotherly  to  refuse.  He 
furnished  a  missionary  prize  fund  to  Iowa  College.  In  his 
long  life  of  eighty-nine  years  he  served  thirteen  churches  and 
served  them  well. 

How  some  good  ministers  are  made  outside  of  classic  insti- 
tutions and  divinity  halls  is  illustrated  many  times  in  our 
history;  here  is  a  case  in  point.  In  1870  Father  Windsor 
wrote:  "I  gave  up  one  of  my  preaching  stations  during  the 
winter.  The  exposure  of  riding  nearly  seventeen  miles  and 
preaching  between  my  morning  and  evening  services  was 
more  than  I  could  well  endure.  But  I  am  glad  to  say  that  I 
have  prevailed  upon  one  of  the  members  of  my  church  to  take 
my  place  there.  He  is  a  young  man  with  a  little  family,  well 
educated,  in  good  circumstances  as  a  farmer,  of  good  address 
and  preaches  with  acceptance.  Under  other  circumstances,  I 
should  urge  his  taking  a  short  course  in  Chicago  Seminary 


288  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

but  as  he  cannot  leave  his  family  and  his  business,  I  trust  he 
will  prove  a  successful  workman  in  the  Lord's  vineyard  without 
these  advantages."  The  pastor's  faith  in  the  young  man  was 
well  founded,  and  his  expectations  more  than  realized  in  the 
ministry  of  Brother  Chapman  A.  Marshall.  Marshall  was 
born  in  Ireland;  three  years  of  his  childhood  were  passed  in 
Africa;  but  his  bringing  up  was  at  Plymouth,  England.  For 
years  he  sailed  the  seas,  visiting  many  lands,  sailing  thrice 
around  the  world,  then  settled  down  on  a  farm  in  Howard 
County.  Here,  at  Cresco,  Father  Windsor  found  him  and  set 
him  to  work.  At  the  work  he  lemained  for  thirty  years,  his 
longest  pastorate  being  at  McGregor  from  1887  to  1900.  He 
was  a  magnificent  preacher.  The  glow  and  glory  of  sea  and 
land  and  of  scenes  transcending  both  was  in  his  sermons.  In 
the  open  field,  on  a  bright  June  day  in  the  year  1906,  God  gave 
him  a  touch  of  his  hand  which  translated  him  to  glory. 

A  little  later,  another  brother  respected,  honored,  loved,  was 
given  the  grace  of  a  painless  death.  The  last  day  he  walked 
the  streets  erect  and  steady;  his  shoulders  did  not  droop  nor 
were  his  steps  irregular.  Monday  evening,  March  12,  1906, 
he  attended  a  meeting  of  the  church,  alert,  attentive,  eager, 
prayerful  as  ever,  then  retired  to  sleep,  to  die  without  groan 
or  struggle  or  sign  of  pain,  to  wake  in  the  morning  of  an  endless 
day.  This  was  Professor  Henry  K.  Edson  of  Denmark  Acad- 
emy, "another  Arnold  of  another  Rugby,"  and  for  years  a 
professor  in  Iowa  College.  For  twenty-six  years  he  was  at 
Denmark.  At  times  two  hundred  and  fifty  students  were 
under  his  instruction.  Hundreds  of  these  students,  in  the 
midst  of  their  courses  or  in  after  years,  rose  up  to  call  him 
blessed. 

How  hard  to  pass  the  loved  and  honored  names  upon  the 
list  without  a  word  of  love  and  praise;  such  names  as  L.  W. 
Brintnall,  W.  L.  Byers,  N.  H.  Whittlesey,  W.  H.  Barrows, 
W.  H.  Burnard,  A.  Lyman,  A.  A.  Baker,  F.  L.  Kenyon,  C.  C. 
Harrah,  Jacob  Henn,  A.  S.  McConnell,  H.  W.  Parker,  W.  A. 


SCATTERING   ABROAD,    1900-1910  289 

Pottle,  W.  A.  Hobbs,  W.  L.  Brandt,  Henry  L.  Chase,  C.  N. 
Lyman,  C.  C.  Adams,  Clinton  Douglass,  F.  J.  Douglass,  Palmer 
Litts,  R.  R.  Wood,  John  AUender,  W.  H.  Atkinson,  J.  L. 
Atkinson,  M.  E.  Dwight,  J.  B.  Fiske,  S.  A.  Arnold,  C.  P. 
Boardman,  Henry  Hess,  William  Windsor,  John  Windsor, 
H.  L.  Strain,  etc.;  and  Mother  Rice,  Mrs.  George  H,  White, 
Edwin  Manning,  Honorable  Robert  M.  Haines,  Doctor  Wil- 
liamson of  Ottumwa  and  scores  of  others,  the  bone  and 
sinew,  the  very  life  of  our  churches. 

We  have  told  the  story  of  Father  Sands.  We  would  be 
glad  to  tell  it  again  in  other  phrases,  but  must  refrain.  He 
reached  the  end  of  his  long  and  useful  hfe,  March  7,  1909. 

We  ha\  e  also  told  the  story  of  Ephraim  Adams  but  must  be 
allowed  one  word  more  before  the  final  farewell.  Doctor 
Adams  was  last  but  one  of  the  Band.  At  the  commemoration 
of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  Doctor  Salter's  pastorate  at 
Burlington  he  said,  "Thanks  to  God,  that  in  our  Seminary 
life  we  were  drawn  together  as  a  Band  to  set  our  faces  to  Iowa 
in  the  seed-time  of  its  history.  Thanks,  that  as  we  were  com- 
ing here  we  did  not  yield  to  solicitations  of  good  men  who  told 
us  that  in  going  so  far  West  we  were  passing  fields  of  promise, 
that  Iowa  was  distant,  with  a  scanty  population,  a  little  good 
soil  along  the  river,  but  further  on  of  poor  quality;  yes,  thanks, 
that  we  found  ourselves  here  and  that  here  has  been  our  life- 
work." 

This  is  a  brief  summary  of  his  eventful  Hfe:  He  was  one  of 
the  seven  ordained  at  Denmark,  November  5,  1843.  His 
first  field  was  Mount  Pleasant  and  vicinity.  From  1844  to 
1855  Davenport  with  the  regions  round  about  was  his  parish. 
September  16, 1845,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Ehzabeth  Douglass 
of  Hanover,  New  Hampshire,  his  companion  for  sixty  years. 
Iowa  College,  of  which  he  was  a  trustee  from  its  begin- 
ning, drew  him  from  the  pastorate  for  two  years;  then  in  1857 
he  began  his  fifteen  years'  ministry  in  Decorah.  In  1872  the 
state  claimed  him  for  ten  years'  service  in  the  Superintendency 

20 


290  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

of  Home  Missions.  The  college  then  demanded  of  him  another 
year  of  service,  and  Eldora  was  prosperous  and  happy  in 
possession  of  the  next  six,  rich,  ripe  years  of  his  ministry. 
Waterloo  was  favored  with  the  fourteen  years  of  his  beautiful 
old  age,  though  all  Iowa  had  to  some  extent  the  benediction  of 
those  radiant  years.  At  the  memorial  services  over  his  body 
Doctor  Salter,  taking  a  last  look  into  the  face  of  his  brother 
of  the  band,  exclaimed,  "Farewell,  comrade,  farewell;  a  short 
farewell!"  To  those  of  us  who  witnessed  the  scene  the 
heavens  were  opened  and  we  caught  snatches  of  the  song  of 
the  redeemed  "unto  Him  who  hath  loved  us."  So  passed 
from  our  sight  one  of  our  very  best  men,  "an  Israelite  indeed," 
a  man  almost  without  a  blemish.  He  was  a  brother  to  us  all. 
He  showed  us  how  to  be  ministers  and  how  to  be  men.  He 
rebuked  our  fever  and  our  unchristian  ambition.  He  was  a 
forceful  man  in  the  counsels  of  our  church  life.  For  years, 
though  he  was  the  personification  of  modesty,  he  was  the  real 
leader  of  the  Congregational  hosts  of  Iowa.  Iowa  has  never 
had  a  more  useful  citizen. 


Chapter  XIV 
THROUGH  THE   DECADES 

As  a  narration  of  events  this  book  is  already  finished.  We 
have  run  through  the  history  by  years  or  by  decades,  from 
1833-1911.  The. days  of  the  years  of  our  pilgrimage  are  three- 
score and  seventeen  years.  Not  a  tithe,  not  a  hundredth 
part  of  the  history  has  been  given,  but  enough,  perhaps,  to 
illustrate  the  character  of  our  workers,  the  significance  of  our 
institutions  and  something  of  the  value  of  the  services  of  the 
denomination  to  the  life  of  the  people  of  a  great  state.  To 
the  narrative  it  has  been  our  privilege  to  add  a  catalogue  of 
the  churches  and  the  men  who  have  served  them.  Every 
living  church  has  been  listed  and  some  that  had  only  a  name  to 
live.  Every  Pilgrim  pastor  has  had  a  little  space,  enough  at 
least  to  record  his  name. 

It  seems  fitting,  in  concluding  chapters,  to  glance  through 
the  decades  in  hasty  retrospect  and  note  the  things  which 
stand  out  most  conspicuously  along  the  way. 

First  to  attract  our  attention  is  the  settlement  of  the  state 
and  the  making  of  the  commonwealth.  The  theme  suggests 
a  series  of  dissolving  views.  The  wilderness  blossoms  into  a 
fruitful  garden.  The  Indian  trail  broadens  and  straightens 
into  a  busy  highway.  The  wigwam  is  transformed  into  a 
cabin,  the  cabin  into  a  cottage,  while  the  cottage  here  and  there 
becomes  a  veritable  mansion.  The  lumbering  stage-coach 
gives  place  to  the  rushing  railway  train.  Savage  life  retreats 
before  the  adventurers  and  immigrants  of  every  grade  and 
clime  as  they  form  their  settlements  along  the  Father  of 
Waters,  as  they  push  up  the  inland  streams,  and  finally  spread 
themselves  over  all  the  state. 

291 


292  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

The  tide  of  immigration  began  to  set  in,  in  1833.  In  1840 
the  population  of  the  state  was  only  a  few  hundreds;  in  1850  it 
was  about  one  hundred  thousand;  in  1860,  eight  hundred 
thousand;  in  1870,  one  million;  twenty  years  later  we  are  just 
a  little  short  of  the  second  million,  and  now  a  little  short  of 
two  and  a  half  millions.  It  would  be  interesting,  if  it  were 
possible  to  determine  how  large  a  proportion  of  the  settlers 
were  of  Pilgrim  antecedents.  Probably  not  so  many  as  we 
have  been  accustomed  to  think.  The  popular  impression  that 
New  England  made  Iowa  "the  Massachusetts  of  the  West" 
by  force  of  numbers  is  largely  erroneous;  the  real  dominance 
of  New  England  has  been  through  its  character  and  ideals 
incarnate  in  strong  personalities  who  have  given  leadership 
to  the  state.  Professor  F.  I.  Herriott  of  Drake  University 
has  examined  in  some  detail  this  "New  England  tradition," 
calling  especial  attention  to  the  southern  source  of  much  of 
our  early  immigration,  which  up  to  1850  had  outnumbered  the 
direct  immigration  from  New  England  six  to  one,  and  referring 
largely  to  a  southern  source  that  great  majority  of  the  popu- 
lation which  came  from  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Indiana  and 
Illinois.  It  was  only  after  the  passing  of  the  Kansas-Nebraska 
bill  that  the  real  New  England  immigration  began,  and  those 
elements  gathered  force  which  arrayed  the  state  against  the 
extension  of  slavery.  Until  1854,  Iowa  was  claimed  with 
Indiana  and  Illinois,  as  solidly  Democratic  and  in  favor  of 
the  extension  of  slavery.  After  his  election  Governor  Grimes 
wrote:  "Our  Southern  friends  have  regarded  Iowa  as  their 
northern  stronghold.  I  thank  God  it  is  conquered."  For 
this  change  of  sentiment  we  have  already  shown  that  our 
Congregational  leaders  were  largely  responsible.  They  brought 
the  New  England  conscience  to  bear  upon  the  problems  of 
the  day  and  place,  and  by  their  untiring  advocacy  of  justice 
and  freedom  helped  to  mould  the  public  feeling  and  determine 
the  public  attitude  upon  these  questions. 

I  should  like,  however,  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  even 


THROUGH  THE  DECADES        293 

immigration  direct  from  the  South  did  not  always  mean  the 
bringing  in  of  pro-slavery  adherents.  Many  families  left  that 
section  for  the  very  reason  that  slavery  was  repugnant  to 
them;  and  there  is  a  Puritan  stream  which  flows  from  the 
South  as  well  as  from  New  England.  My  own  grandparents, 
Scotch  Presbyterians,  left  Southern  soil  and  the  Old  School 
Presbyterian  church  simply  because  they  would  have  no  part 
nor  lot  in  the  enslavement  of  their  fellow  men. 

After  1854  the  proportion  of  immigration  from  New  England 
rose  rapidly,  and  that  from  the  South  diminished,  but  through 
the  whole  period  of  settlement  the  bulk  of  population  came 
from  the  states  immediately  to  the  east  of  us,  lUinois,  Indiana 
and  Ohio.  In  these  states  the  original  Congregational  ele- 
ments even  had  become  Presbyterianized,  and  the  building  of 
our  fellowship  has  been  through  the  leavening  of  elements 
largely  foreign  to  our  ideals. 

Denmark  furnishes  a  concrete  example  of  the  influence  of 
New  England  Congregationalism  in  Iowa.  The  Boston 
Recorder  in  1867  thus  described  Denmark: 

A  village  which  signally  illustrates  the  thrift  and  triumph  of  Puritan 
principles.  Thirty  years  ago,  a  few  families  from  New  England  settled 
there.  They  were  poor  in  this  world's  goods,  but  rich  in  faith.  They 
laid  the  foundations  of  their  settlement  in  prayer.  They  appointed  a 
place  for  a  church  here,  and  an  academy  upon  a  spacious  public  square. 
To  these  central  objects  of  their  desire,  were  their  first  hard-earned  means 
dedicated.  No  Sabbath-breaking,  nor  profanity,  nor  liquor-selling,  was 
allowed  among  them.  The  first  glass  of  intoxicating  drink  is  yet  to  be 
sold  there.  Saloons  are  unknown  in  Denmark,  and  in  their  simplicity, 
the  people  are  content  without  them.  Hostility  to  oppression  was,  from 
the  first,  a  marked  feature  of  their  teaching  and  practice,  and  being  near 
the  Missouri  border,  they  had  opportunity  to  honor  their  principles  amid 
sacrifices  and  losses.  One  third  of  their  income,  from  the  first,  has  been 
given  to  various  benevolent  objects  abroad.  At  one  special  effort  during 
the  war,  they  gave  twelve  hundred  dollars  to  the  freedmen.  Less  than 
•fifty  families  comprise  this  community,  and  there  is  not  one  who  would 
be  called  rich  among  them.  .  The  tide  is  turned,  and  now  Mis- 

souri no  longer  comes  to  Denmark  with  bloodhounds  and  revolvers  to 
hunt  fugitives  secreted  there,  but  she  sends  many  of  her  sons  and  daugh- 


294  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

ters  to  that  "Yankee  heaven"  to  learn  the  principles  that  have  made  its 
people  thrifty  in  this  world  and  hopeful  of  a  better  heaven  above.  Thus 
has  the  power  of  example  been  felt  widely;  and  the  process  of  assimilation 
to  New  England  tastes  and  the  conquest  to  Ntw  England  principles  have 
been  extended,  until  their  complete  triumph  is  made  certain  throughout 
the   Northwest. 

Father  Turner  alludes  to  this  change  of  sentiment  in  one  of 
his  annual  sermons.  He  says:  "Your  opinions  have  been  re- 
garded as  fanatical,  radical,  and  treasonable,  to  such  a  degree, 
as  I  understand,  that  the  name  of  our  quiet  village  is  as  familiar 
in  the  state  south  of  us  as  St.  Louis.  Your  name  has  been  cast 
out  as  evil  by  almost  all  men.  But  the  tables  are  turned,  and 
you  are  now  awarded  a  respect  in  this  state  as  widespread  as 
your  unsavory  name  was  a  few  years  ago." 

Congregationalists  have  wielded  a  mighty  influence  in  Iowa. 
Perhaps  it  is  not  too  much  to  claim  that  this  book  brings  before 
us  one  of  the  most  prominent  groups  of  the  builders  of  our 
commonwealth.  Some  years  ago  we  had  a  gathering  at  our 
Capitol  to  unveil  the  portrait  of  a  man  thought  worthy  of  this 
high  honor.  Who  was  this  man?  An  old  pioneer  preacher; 
a  Congregational  preacher;  William  Salter  his  name.  Gov- 
ernor Cummins  was  in  attendance  and,  of  course,  made  a 
speech,  and  this  speech  was  a  good  one  for  he  said  in  substance 
this:  "Not  the  politicians,  not  the  captains  of  industry,  not 
the  leaders  in  great  material  enterprises  of  the  state  have  made 
Iowa  what  she  is,  but  men  such  as  this,  men  of  his  character 
and  of  his  class,  these  are  the  men  who  have  made  Iowa  a  great, 
noble,  peerless,  Christian  commonwealth."  This  testimony 
is  true.  These  are  the  men  who  build  the  commonwealth; 
such  men  as  Asa  Turner,  Juhus  A.  Reed,  Reuben  Gaylord, 
Oliver  Emerson  and  John  C.  Holbrook,  such  men  as  the  Iowa 
Band,  such  men  as  Guernsey,  Taylor,  Magoun,  Sands,  Grin- 
nell.  Brooks,  Thatcher,  De  Forest,  Hill,  Frisbie,  Ficke;  such 
men  as  Nathaniel  C.  Deering  of  Osage,  "the  perfect  Christian 
gentleman,"    Dr.    Charles    Beardsley    of    Burlington,    "the 


THROUGH  THE  DECADES        295 

Christian  editor  and  statesman,"  Samuel  Merrill,  the  Chris- 
tian governor,  and  his  noble  brother  Jeremiah,  the  Christian 
banker,  the  Hon.  Robert  M.  Haines  of  Grinnell,  the  Christian 
lawyer,  J.  C.  Knapp  of  Keosauqua,  the  incorruptible  judge, 
Nathan  P.  Dodge,  the  Christian  philanthropist,  Josiah  L. 
Pickard,  the  Christian  educator,  and  hosts  of  others  of  like 
spirit,  in  the  pulpits  and  in  the  pews;  these  are  the  men  that 
build  the  commonwealth. 

We  cannot  claim  preeminence  in  numbers.  Numerically 
Congregationalism  is  small,  and  Congregational  Iowa  has 
never  boasted  of  bigness,  only  of  quality.  The  number  of 
our  host,  counted  by  the  membership  of  all  of  our  churches 
from  the  beginning,  is  141,000,  about  one  half  of  these  having 
united  on  confession  of  faith.  Our  total  ministerial  force 
numbers  less  than  fifteen  hundred.  In  ideal  conditions  it 
requires  only  two  or  three  men  to  serve  a  Congregational 
church  for  seventy-five  years.  A  thousand  men  coming  to 
spend  their  lives  in  Iowa  would  have  amply  sufficed  for  our 
needs. 

Probably  nothing  in  all  our  history  is  more  impressive  than 
the  heroism,  toil  and  sacrifice  of  our  pioneer  preachers  and  of 
our  home  missionaries  through  all  the  decades.  There  is 
little  complaint  of  hardships,  but  there  are  incidental  glimpses 
of  them  on  every  page  of  our  history.  Julius  A.  Reed  says, 
"The  home  missionary  salary  of  those  times  was  if  our  hundred 
dollars,  and  I  do  not  recollect  hearing  its  sufficiency  questioned 
by  a  missionary."  Elsewhere  he  writes:  "There  is  not  a 
stream  in  Iowa,  north  and  east  of  Cedar  Falls  or  south  of  Cedar 
Falls  and  east  of  Des  Moines,  that  has  not  been  forded  by  some 
of  these  pioneers  and  some  of  the  largest  at  many  different 
points.  Sometimes  they  drove  their  horses  through  the  creeks 
and  caught  them  as  they  came  out,  crossing  themselves  on 
logs,  sometimes  they  swam  their  horses  by  the  side  of  a  canoe; 
sometimes  they  took  their  buggies  across  the  larger  streams 
piecemeal,  in  skiffs.     Father  Turner  once  swam  the  creeks 


296  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

between  Farmington  and  Denmark  with  his  horse  and  buggy, 
though  he  could  not  swim  one  stroke  himself.  It  was  hard 
for  him  to  stop  when  he  was  once  started.  Brother  Lane  had 
a  narrow  escape  in  the  ice  at  Keosauqua.  Brother  Ripley 
was  carried  over  the  dam  at  Bentonsport."  Mr.  Reed  himself 
in  the  Cedar  River  south  of  Fairfield,  "was  dropped  behind  the 
crossbar  with  his  arms  across  the  shafts,"  while  the  horse  ran 
down  stream  at  a  gallop.  "At  each  jump,"  he  said,  "the 
horse's  hind  feet  came  up  before  my  face,  a  foot  away."  Forty 
years  later  he  still  "remembered  just  how  they  looked." 

"In  those  days,"  says  Mr.  Reed  again,  "bacon,  corn  bread, 
coffee  and  potatoes  were  the  staple  articles  of  food  while  dried 
apples,  pumpkin  butter  and  the  native  crab  were  the  dehcacies 
of  the  table."  Page  after  page  might  be  quoted  in  picturing  the 
romantic  hardships  of  the  poineer  preachers  in  the  new  country. 

Perhaps  the  best  concrete  illustration  of  heroism  and  sacri- 
fice in  the  service  is  furnished  by  Father  Oliver  Emerson.  The 
story  of  his  life  of  pain  and  poverty,  of  travel  and  tribulation 
and  of  incessant  labor  has  been  written,  but  only  in  small  part, 
upon  these  pages.  What  a  revelation  of  faith  and  devotion 
to  high  ideals  appears  in  the  following.  An  unsigned  article 
from  an  "Iowa  Veteran,"  which  appears  in  the  Home  Mis- 
sionary for  1879,  and  which  is  easily  to  be  traced  to  Father 
Emerson  gives  a  glimpse  of  a  home  missionary  wrestling  with 
the  problem  of  his  children's  education: 

"My  oldest,"  he  says,  "is  a  freshman  in  college.  If  he  can  complete  his 
college  and  seminary  course  without  interruption  (which  is  doubtful)  and 
I  hve  to  see  that  day,  1  shall  be  well  advanced  in  my  seventy-third  year. 
Our  daughter  now  seventeen,  thinks  that  a  college  education  is  as  neces- 
sary for  her  highest  usefulness  as  for  that  of  her  brother.  She  now  hopes 
by  hard  study,  to  be  prepared  for  the  ladies'  course,  entering  college  next 
fall  at  an  advanced  standing,  and  so  graduate  at  the  same  time  with  her 
brother.  Now  as  to  provision  to  meet  the  exigency.  If  our  books  and 
clothes  and  the  house  over  our  heads,  with  all  we  have  in  the  world,  were 
put  under  the  hammer  tomorrow,  they  would  not  bring  half  enough  to 
educate  our  children,  to  say  nothing  about  provision  for  ourselves.  Our 
program  for  the  future  is ; 


THROUGH  THE   DECADES  297 

"1.  To  sell  what  little  we  have,  as  fast  as  it  is  needed,  both  for  our  com- 
fort and  to  meet  their  expenses,  and  then  trust  our  children  to  take  care 
of  us  if  we  live  to  see  them  through. 

"  2.  To  work  as  hard  and  a  long  as  we  can  at  such  work  as  we  are  able 
to  do.  I  can  earn  a  little  at  preaching.  I  expect  to  do  little  more  for  the 
churches,  because  they  have  no  use  for  half  a  minister,  and  I  cannot  pre- 
tend to  be  more  than  that.  Moreover,  I  have  never  been  a  popular  man. 
It  is  a  wonder  to  me  that  people  have  heard  me  so  long.  My  wife  is  a  true 
yoke-fellow  in  this  part  of  the  program.  She  is  working  beyond  her 
strength. 

"  3.  We  expect  to  practice  the  most  rigid  economy.  It  is  barely  possible, 
though  not  Ukely,  that  I  may  hear  my  son  proclaim  the  gospel  before  I  die." 

In  January  of  1883  he  writes  again:  "During  the  last  two 
years  my  work  has  been  diminishing  until,  at  the  beginning  of 
the  present  winter,  my  stated  appointments  were  given  up. 
For  several  years  now  I  have  not  been  able  to  walk  without  a 
crutch,  and  am  in  various  respects  encompassed  with  infirmi- 
ties. I  expect  to  preach  but  little  if  any  more.  Last  autumn 
completed  forty-five  years  of  stated  preaching,  and  fifty-five 
years  since  I  began  preparation  for  my  work."  He  adds:  "I 
have  nothing  to  fall  back  upon  in  the  decline  of  Hfe,  owning 
nothing  but  the  house  we  live  in.  But  I  have  a  noble  wife 
who  has  for  many  years,  by  taking  boarders  and  by  other 
means,  aided  our  income  and  the  education  of  the  children." 
The  children  graduated  together  from  Iowa  College  in  1882. 
The  son  is  now  a  professor  in  Adelbert  College,  the  daughter 
the  wife  of  Principal  A.  C.  Hart  with  whom  she  has  given 
almost  a  quarter  of  a  century  to  the  work  of  our  Congrega- 
tional academies  in  Nebraska. 

But  the  spirit  of  the  fathers  has  rested  upon  their  sons  in 
every  generation.  Here,  in  a  later  day  is  a  man  allowing 
himself  only  twelve  meals  a  week.  In  answer  to  expostula- 
tions, he  explains:  "My  daughter  is  working  her  way  through 
college.  I  must  save  in  this  way  to  help  her."  What  will 
not  a  Congregational  missionary  do  to  help  a  child  through 
college,  and  this  not  for  the  child's  sake  alone,  but  for  the 
world's  sake, 


298  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Here  is  a  home  missionary  home  in  January,  1898.  Sunday 
morning  the  thermometer  is  twenty  degrees  below  zero; 
Monday  morning  it  shows  thirty  below.  The  pastor's  salary 
is  three  hundred  dollars  plus  the  use  of  a  little  parsonage  which 
cost  less  than  four  hundred  dollars.  The  Home  Missionary 
Superintendent  sits  with  the  missionary,  his  wife  and  four 
children  around  a  little  stove  that  did  its  best,  and  did  well 
for  a  stove  which  had  cost  only  $1.50;  but  which  couldn't  do 
much  because  it  was  so  small.  For  two  nights  the  mission- 
ary sat  up  to  keep  that  stove  going  and  to  keep  the  house 
from  freezing  up.  Complaint?  Talk  of  hardship?  Not  a 
word  of  it.  But  the  Superintendent  felt  ashamed  of  himself 
and  of  the  Congregational  people  of  Iowa  that  we  should 
allow  one  of  our  missionaries  to  live  and  work  so  near  the  line 
of  suffering  and  want ;  and  he  left  on  an  early  train  that  bitter 
Monday  morning,  resolved  that  the  diminutive  stove  should 
be  replaced  by  one  full-grown;  and  that  the  salary  of  this  man 
must  in  some  way  be  increased.  Within  a  week  a  splendid 
"Round  Oak"  heater  was  installed,  and  at  the  next  meeting 
of  the  Executive  Committee  the  salary  was  raised  to  five  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  missionary  testified  that  when  the  new 
commission  reached  him  he  felt  that  he  was  "next  door  to 
heaven." 

The  money  cost  of  the  service  is  also  great.  It  runs  up  into 
the  millions.  We  Congregationalists  have  to-day  not  less 
than  three  millions  invested  in  property  and  endowments,  and 
the  salaries  and  incidental  expenses  for  the  three-quarters  of 
a  century  add  other  millions  to  the  cost. 

But  the  compensations  far  exceed  the  cost.  The  service 
itself  has  been  an  exceeding  great  reward.  All  the  way  through 
the  decades  we  hear  the  missionaries  singing  as  they  go  forth 
with  the  word  of  salvation  in  their  hearts  and  upon  their 
tongues.  There  is  a  note  of  gladness  through  all  the  years. 
Father  Turner  writes:  "Probably  I  have  known  more 'about 
perils  by  bridgeless  streams  and  houseless   prairies  and  log 


THROUGH   THE   DECADES  299 

houses  and  pioneer  fare  in  Illinois  and  Iowa  than  almost  any 
one,  and  still  I  bless  God  that  I  had  the  privilege  thus  to  do. 
As  to  sacrifices,  I  never  felt  that  I  had  made  any,  because  I 
wanted  to  do  the  work."  Hutchinson  longs  to  live  and  see 
what  God  is  to  do  for  Iowa  and  to  help  in  the  doing  of  it. 
Spaulding,  there  on  the  borders  of  the  Indian  country,  again 
and  again  breaks  forth  in  songs  of  gladness,  rejoicing  in  his 
work.  Bixby  counts  his  one  year  in  the  ministry  the  best  of 
his  life.  Father  Hurlbut  thanks  God  for  the  privilege  of 
laboring  in  destitute  fi'elds.  At  the  burial  of  a  daughter,  on  a 
wet  cold  day,  the  water  standing  in  the  grave,  when  the 
service  is  over  and  the  people  about  to  turn  away,  he  says: 
"Wait  a  bit,  wait  a  bit,"  then,  after  picturing  the  desolations 
of  the  scene,  he  soars  aloft  as  a  lark  on  a  June  morning  and 
carols  forth  a  jubilant  song  of  praise  to  God  for  life  and  im- 
mortality brought  to  light  in  the  gospel. 

One  of  the  great  compensations  of  the  service  is  its  fellow- 
ship. Church  fellowship,  in  the  Sabbath  worship,  the  Sunday 
school,  the  prayer  meetings,  the  social  gatherings,  the  pastoral 
receptions  and  perchance  the  "donation  party,"  how  delight- 
ful it  all  is,  and  what  joy  and  comfort  and  strength  it  brings 
into  the  hearts  and  lives  of  those  who  are  united  in  its  common 
bond. 

The  fellowship  of  the  pastoral  brotherhood  is  something 
unique.  I  well  remember  the  thrill  of  a  new  experience  as  I 
attended  my  first  meeting  of  Association  up  there  at  McGregor 
in  October  of  1868.  I  fell  in  love  with  all  the  brethren;  Father 
Windsor,  Brother  Ephraim  Adams,  Brother  Sloan,  Brother 
Coleman  and  all  the  rest,  even  the  young  fellow  who,  after 
preaching,  went  crazy  and  kept  me  up  all  one  night  to  keep 
him  within  bounds.  And  how  delightful  those  weekly  visits 
from  neighbor  Coleman  as  he  came  down  from  Mitchell  to 
chat  with  us  and  cheer  us  up.  His  presence  was  always  a 
benediction,  and  his  jokes  and  stories — though  we  learned  to 
label  and  number  them — always  served  their  purpose.     Good 


300  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

and  helpful  neighbors  were  Brother  Coleman  and  his  wife 
Temperance,  and  the  "Apostolic  Jim"  of  their  stable  did  us 
many  a  good  turn.  The  fellowship  of  that  ordaining  council, 
composed  of  Father  Windsor,  Father  Tenney,  and  Brothers 
Adams,  Sloan,  Coleman  and  Bordwell,  how  helpful  that 
was!  In  the  peculiar  condition  of  the  parish  I  doubt  if  I 
could  have  succeeded  in  getting  hold  of  the  work  at  all  without 
the  endorsement  and  influence  of  that  council.  May  I  leave 
here  my  testimony  in  favor  of  the  time-honored  practice  of 
ordination  by  council  called  by  the  local  church?  One  of  the 
many  wise  sayings  of  Brother  Sloan  was,  "Congregationalism 
lacks  occasions.^'  Here  is  one  of  the  occasions  we  cannot 
afford  to  give  up. 

How  inspiring  the  great,  strong,  refreshing  fellowship  of 
the  General  Association!  Here  let  the  reader  pause  and  take 
down  his  copy  of  the  "Iowa  Band,"  and  read  the  story  of 
the  Iowa  Association  in  those  early  times.  How  they  went 
on  foot — some  of  them  two  hundred  miles,  and  felt  well  paid 
for  the  journey;  how  they  went  on  horseback,  and  later,  when 
there  were  roads  and  bridges,  by  "buggies";  how  they  fell  in 
with  each  other  on  the  way,  and  stopped  at  log  cabins  for 
entertainment;  how  they  sang  and  prayed  and  discussed  the 
great  themes  of  the  times  and  of  the  Kingdom;  how  they 
stayed  over  Sunday  and  lingered  a  while  Monday  morning, 
and  how  they  prized  the  fellowship  of  the  delegates  coming  in 
from  the  great  world  outside.  A  daughter  of  one  of  the 
missionaries  put  it  about  right  when  she  said,  "The  best  of 
all  was  to  see  them  shake  hands  the  first  night  after  the  sermon." 
The  best  part  of  every  meeting  is  the  meeting  itself  though  we 
can  add  without  contradiction,  "The  best  of  all  is  God  with 
us." 

Here  is  E.  K.  Alden's  picture  of  one  of  the  early  meetings 
of  the  Association:  "There  are  no  more  self-denying  and 
faithful  missionaries  of  Christ  anywhere  than  were  represented 
there, — the  patriarchal    Father  Turner  at  the  head,  appar- 


THROUGH  THE  DECADES  301 

ently  the  youngest  of  them  all.  How  these  weather-beaten 
men  and  women  talked  and  prayed!  How  they  laid  hold  of 
each  other,  and  of  any  casual  stranger  who  might  be  present, 
without  waiting  for  any  formal  introduction  when  the  modera- 
tor announced  that  the  time  had  arrived  for  the  miscellaneous 
shaking  of  hands  all  around  the  house!  How  enthusiasti- 
cally they  united  business  with  enjoyment!  How  tenderly 
they  sang  their  parting  hymn,  standing  around  the  table  where 
together  they  had  partaken  of  the  sacred  emblems  of  a  Sav- 
iour's love,  breaking  forth  spontaneously  into  song  during 
the  sacramental  feast! " 

Well,  some  features  of  the  old  time  Association  meetings 
are  changed !  We  are  in  more  of  a  hurry  now,  and  have  more 
business  to  transact.  But  some  features  are  unchanged: 
The  devotional  hour  still  comes  in  the  middle  of  the  forenoon, 
and  the  greetings  are  just  as  cordial,  and  care  for  each  others' 
welfare  just  as  real,  and  the  fellowship  just  as  genuine  and 
refreshing  as  in  the  days  of  yore. 

Brother  Ephraim  Adams  missed  but  one  meeting  of  the 
State  Association  in  sixty-five  years.  My  own  record,  not 
complete  yet,  is  not  so  good;  two  meetings  have  been  missed 
in  forty  years,  on  account  of  domestic  felicities.  But  I 
would  leave  my  testimony,  with  Brother  Adams',  to  the 
value  of  our  annual  state  gatherings.  It  is  a  distinct  loss, 
to  any  minister  especially,  to  miss  any  one  of  them. 

The  larger  fellowship,  represented  by  our  National  and 
International  Councils,  and  our  great  missionary  societies 
and  operations,  and  the  traditions  and  institutions  of  the 
Fathers,  handed  down  to  us,  how  glorious  it  all  is!  No  com- 
munion of  Christians  has  a  more  inspiring  heritage  than  we! 
Then  the  practical  fellowship  operating  through  the  Home 
Missionary  Society,  the  Church  Building  Society  and  the 
Ministerial  Relief  Fund,  how  substantially  good  that  is! 
Brother  A.  M.  Beaman,  up  in  the  Sioux  country,  on  receiving 
a  commission  carrying  a  grant  of  two  hundred  dollars,  ex- 


302  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

claimed,  "Now  I  feel  that  I  have  something  solid  on  which 
to  stand."  So  hundreds  of  men,  from  1836  to  the  present 
day,  laboring  in  our  fields  in  Iowa  in  this  Home  Missionary- 
ministry  of  love,  have  felt  the  strong  arm  of  the  denomination 
around  them  to  give  them  aid  and  comfort. 

At  more  than  two  hundred  dedications  in  Iowa,  as  there 
was  pictured  on  a  blackboard  a  mountain  of  debt  to  be  leveled 
to  the  ground,  the  Secretary  of  Home  Missions  has  taken 
the  top  off  the  mountain  by  wiping  out  the  pledge  of  the 
Church  Building  Society,  for  $200,  S300,  $500,  or  whatever 
the  amount  might  be,  saying,  "This  is  the  good  right  hand 
of  the  Congregational  denomination  reached  out  to  you  to-day 
in  practical  fellowship."  What  cheer  and  comfort  in  this 
mutual  cooperation! 

And  how  gracious  and  beautiful  this  fellowship  of  minis- 
tering to  the  needy  families  of  our  united  household!  Here  is 
good  Father  Harvey  Adams,  old  now,  and  alone,  but  able 
to  appreciate  keenly  the  fellowship  of  his  brethren.  It  is 
the  morning  to  start  to  the  Association,  but  Captain  Powers 
finds  him  at  work  in  his  garden.  "Why,  aren't  you  going 
to  the  Association?"  said  the  captain.  "No,"  said  he,  "no, 
I  rather  thought  I  would  not  go  this  year."  The  real  reason 
was  that  he  did  not  feel  that  he  could  afford  the  expense.  So 
on  that  day  as  others  were  going  he  stayed  at  home,  at  work 
in  his  garden.  "But  you  should  have  seen  him,"  says  Mr. 
Powers,  "a  few  days  after,  when  word  came  that  an  allowance 
of  two  hundred  dollars  a  year  had  been  voted  him  from  the 
Relief  Fund.  It  lifted  him  right  out.  He  was  rich.  He  was 
a  millionaire!"  And  he  said,  "Now  I  can  go  to  the  Associa- 
tions and  to  college  Commencements,  and  buy  a  new  book 
now  and  then." 

Here  is  a  young  man,  under  thirty-five  years  of  age,  with 
wife  and  five  small  children,  stricken  down  in  a  moment 
with  a  lingering  disease  from  which  there  is  no  prospect  that 
he  will   ever  recover.     What  is  to  be    done?     The   Relief 


THROUGH  THE  DECADES        303 

Fund  brings  temporary  relief.  The  months  lengthen  into 
years  and  still  the  Fund — S25.00  of  it — finds  its  way  to  that 
home  month  by  month.  The  family  is  driven  from  shack 
to  shack.  "Can't  we  provide  him  a  home?"  is  the  inquiry 
of  the  Secretary  of  the  Executive  Committee.  "Do  you 
think  you  can  do  it?  If  so,  go  ahead."  And  he  did  it.  A 
day's  canvass  at  Grinnell  and  a  few  letters  to  a  select  company 
outside  secured  the  funds,  and  at  the  next  meeting  of  the 
Committee  the  Secretary  could  report  the  house,  now  worth 
$1,500,  purchased  and  paid  for,  and  the  family  has  been  cared 
for  and  they  are  now  in  fairly  comfortable  circumstances. 

We  have  pensioned  four  of  our  old  veterans:  Harvey  Adams, 
W.  L.  Coleman,  Father  Sands,  and  Brother  J.  D.  Mason. 
E.  B.  Turner  of  the  Band  received  a  little  aid  from  the  Fund 
in  his  last  days  and  Mrs.  Turner  also  a  little  help,  but  the 
estate  refunded  the  amount  of  the  grants.  Mrs.  Daniel  Lane 
received  aid,  but  paid  back  the  full  amount.  Mrs.  A.  B. 
Spaulding  of  the  Band  had  aid  for  a  number  of  years,  and  we 
helped  to  bear  the  funeral  expenses.  We  have  given  aid  to 
several  families  in  temporary  distress  by  reason  of  sickness 
or  death.  We  have  aided  a  number  of  widows  for  a  term  of 
years.  We  have  ministered  to  more  than  fifty  families  of 
our  household  of  faith  by  this  bounty.  The  Fund  was  started 
in  1874  by  Rev.  Job  Cushman  who  set  apart  nine  hundred 
dollars  for  the  purpose.  It  was  stipulated  that  the  Fund 
should  produce  an  income  of  two  hundred  dollars  a  year 
before  any  of  it  could  be  used.  The  increase  of  the  Fund  was 
undertaken  by  the  State  Association,  the  first  donation 
coming  from  the  Anamosa  church  in  1878.  The  amount 
accumulated,  outside  of  the  Cushman  Fund,  which  was  being 
administered  by  J.  M.  Chamberlain,  Treasurer  of  Iowa 
College,  when  it  came  into  the  hands  of  the  Iowa  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  1882,  was  S638.40.  Three  years  later  the 
total  was  $2,732.  In  1890  the  assets,  counting  the  Relief 
Home,  were  $5,925.     In  1905  the  Fund  made  a  leap  from 


304  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

$7,000  to  $9,087  when  most  of  the  stockholders  of  the  Clear 
Lake  Retreat  turned  over  their  interests  to  the  Relief  Fund, 
the  property  netting  us  $2,494,  In  1908  the  Fund  was 
enriched  by  $2,000  from  the  estate  of  Rev.  and  Mrs.  W.  H. 
Barrows,  who  were  for  many  years  home  missionaries  in  Iowa. 
To-day  the  Fund  amounts  to  $12,160.  What  a  privilege  to 
have  some  part  and  lot  in  this  gracious  ministry!  Let  every 
reader  of  these  pages  have  a  hand  in  it. 

Another  great  compensation  of  the  service  has  been  its 
accomplishments:  Three  hundred  churches,  with  their  pastors; 
thirty-seven  thousand  members;  $2,265,000  in  church  property 
besides  $33,000  of  invested  funds,  $2,000,000  in  college  prop- 
erty and  endowments, — is  it  not  indeed  a  goodly  plant? 

And  the  output,  what  of  that!  The  plant  itself  is  a  part 
of  the  output.  Returns  began  at  once  to  appear,  in  the  gath- 
ering of  churches,  in  the  establishment  of  Denmark  Academy 
and  Bradford  Academy,  Iowa  College  and  Tabor  College. 
The  plant  itself  is  an  outgrowth  of  the  service.  Hundreds 
of  communities  have  been  redeemed  from  the  pioneer  vices 
and  made  fit  places  for  people  to  live  in  and  children  to  be 
born  in  by  the  coming  of  the  missionary  and  by  the  planting 
of  the  church.  Many  of  the  readers  of  this  book  have  heard 
of  Abner  Kneeland,  an  infidel  from  Boston,  who  led  out  a 
colony  of  his  sort  and  settled  on  the  banks  of  the  Des  Moines 
near  Farmington.  They  called  the  place  Salubria;  and  said, 
"No  minister  shall  ever  come  to  this  community  to  air  his 
superstitions."  There  was  a  child  born  in  that  community 
whose  father  named  him  Voltaire  Paine,  wishing  thus  to 
dedicate  him  to  the  cause  of  infidelity.  That  boy,  Voltaire 
Paine,  is  to  day  a  Congregational  deacon.  Not  just  the 
name  you  would  choose  for  a  Congregational  deacon,  but  he 
is  just  as  good  a  deacon  as  if  his  name  were  John  Calvin,  or 
John  Wesley  or  John  Knox,  or  any  other  super-orthodox 
man.  How  did  he  become  a  deacon?  Daniel  Lane,  one  of 
the  Iowa  Band  teaching  and  preaching  down  there  at  Keosau- 


THROUGH   THE   DECADES  305 

qua,  got  hold  of  this  young  man  and  made  a  Christian  out 
of  him.  To-day  he  is  one  of  the  strong  men  of  our  denomi- 
nation in  the  state.  That  infidel  colony  was  scattered  long 
ago.  How?  Over  the  pulpit  of  the  Farmington  church 
hangs  the  picture  of  an  old  minister,  Harvey  Adams  by  name, 
another  member  of  the  Band,  for  twenty  years  pastor  at 
Farmington.  Over  in  that  infidel  colony  people  would  die, 
of  course,  and  children  would  die,  and  sometimes  the  mother 
heart  would  be  wrung  with  anguish  and  she  would  say,  "I 
cannot  have  my  child  buried  until  some  man  of  God  has  come 
and  said  some  words  of  grace  over  the  body."  So  the  mother 
in  her  sorrow  would  invite  Mr.  Adams  to  conduct  a  little 
funeral  service;  and  so  by  the  grace  of  God,  "raised  the  wind 
of  the  Spirit"  by  which  this  infidel  colony  was  scattered  to 
the  four  quarters  of  the  globe.  A  few  years  later  you  could 
find  at  Farmington  a  daughter  of  Abner  Kneeland  a  member 
of  the  church,  and  a  granddaughter  a  beautiful  httle  Christian 
Endeavorer  and  a  member  of  the  church;  illustration  this, 
of  what  has  gone  on  in  hundreds  of  places  in  Iowa  by  the 
coming  of  a  missionary  and  by  the  planting  of  the  missionary 
church. 

In  the  output,  may  be  reckoned  the  141,000  gathered  into 
the  membership  of  our  churches;  the  three  or  four  millions 
raised  for  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  our  institu- 
tions; the  $1,538,023  contributed  to  missions  at  home  and 
abroad;  the  hundreds  of  young  men  we  have  raised  up  for 
the  ministry,  and  the  still  larger  number  of  young  men  and 
women  we  have  sent  into  other  fields  of  Christian  service, 
and  the  tens  of  thousands  of  members  we  have  sent  out  into 
the  work  of  the  Kingdom  in  the  regions  beyond. 

Doctor  Patton,  of  the  American  Board,  furnishes  a  list 
of  sixty-one  Iowa  men  and  women  who,  beginning  in  1856, 
have  done  missionary  work  in  foreign  fields, — China,  Ceylon, 
India,  Japan,  Micronecia,  Mexico,  Turkey,  West  Africa 
and  Zulu.     The  list  is  as  follows:  George  D.  Marsh,  Willis  W. 

21 


306  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

and  Harriett  M.  Meade,  George  and  Esther  Robbins  White, 
L.  F.  Ostrander,  Given  Griffiths,  Dr.  A.  0.  Hoover,  John  L. 
and  Carrie  Guernsey  Atkinson,  Frank  N.  White,  C.  B.  Olds 
and  wife.  Dr.  James  B.  McCord  and  wife,  Albert  S.  Houston 
and  wife,  Irving  M.  Channon  and  wife,  James  Goldsbury, 
Howard  S.  Gault  and  wife,  Benjamin  De  Haan,  Vinton  P. 
Eastman,  Obed  S.  Johnson,  Frank  Van  Allen,  George  W. 
Wright,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  William  Cammack,  Dr.  Henry  S. 
Hollenbeck,  Mrs.  Jennie  Perry,  Mary  M.  Patrick,  Mrs.  Laura 
Seeley,  Mary  E.  Brewer,  Alice  Heald,  Ida  Mellenger,  Mrs. 
Martha  Haskell,  Effie  M.  Chambers,  Johanna  L.  Graff, 
Minnie  B.  Mills,  Mary  M.  Foote,  Stella  M.  Longbridge, 
C.  May  Welpton,  Susan  W.  Orvis,  Harriett  Townsend,  Hester 
A.  Hillis,  Mary  A.  Pinkerton,  Mrs.  Rhoda  A.  Clark,  Mrs. 
Margaret  L.  Walkup,  Annette  A.  Palmer,  Mrs.  Sarah  Price, 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Newell,  Grace  A.  Funk,  Edna  and  Vida  Lowery, 
Mrs.  Myra  G.  Case,  Mrs.  Helen  Bush  Olds,  Mrs.  Helen 
Cattell  Olds,  Augusta  J.  Burris,  Harriett  A.  Houston,  and 
Mrs.  Mary  Etta  Fairbanks. 

Numbers  of  the  above  are  missionaries  of  the  Woman's 
Board  of  Missions  for  the  Interior,  of  which  the  Iowa  Branch 
is  a  part.  This  Branch  was  organized  in  1876,  and  has  put 
into  the  work  $256,310.  These  good  women  of  the  Branch 
can  hardly  be  called  gleaners,  they  are  more  nearly  the  pro- 
prietors of  the  field.  Of  Mrs.  G.  F.  Magoun,  and  Mrs.  L.  F. 
Parker,  early  standard  bearers  of  the  organization,  we  have 
already  spoken.  Of  Mrs.  A.  L.  Frisbie  this  is  all  too  little 
to  say;  she  was  for  nine  years  President  of  the  Branch,  and 
this  was  a  very  small  segment  of  the  circle  of  her  Christian 
activities.  The  present  executive  officers  of  the  Society  are 
Mrs.  W.  C.  Wilcox  of  Iowa  City,  and  Mrs.  Ella  R.  Towle 
of  Grinnell. 

The  list  of  Iowa  homeland  missionaries  is  far  too  long  to 
be  inserted  here.  As  a  fitting  tribute  to  the  person  and 
work  of  one  of  them,  Miss  Mary  Collins  of  Keokuk,  who 


MRP.  SARAH  CANDACE  PARKER  MRS.  G.  F.  MAGOUN 

Secretary  President 

MRS.  MARY  S.  KELSEY  MRS.  A.  L   FRISBIE 

Secretary  President 


MRS.  E.  R.  POTTER 

Treasurer 

MRS.  CLARA  WHIPPLE  REW 

Treasurer 


MRS  ELL\  REINKING  TOWLE  MRS.  NELLIE  CLARKE  PARKER  MRS.  J.  V.  HARDIN 

Secretary  President  '  reasurer 

MRS.  JULIA  D.  BRAINERD  MRS.  W.  C.  WILCOX  MISS  GRACE  POTVYIN 

Se<retaryof  Children's  Work  President  Secretary  of  \  onng  M  omen  s  W  orl 

OFFICERS  IOWA  BRANCH  W.  B.  M.  I.  1S7G-1911 


THROUGH  THE  DECADES        307 

began  her  work  among  the  Indians  in  1875,  we  have  copied 
the  following  lines: 

"To  the  land  of  the  Dakotas 
Where  the  storm-king  meets  the  north-wind, 
Where  the  snowdrifts  heap  the  valleys 
And  the  west-wind  racks  the  pine-trees. 
Came  a  fearless,  pale-faced  maiden 
Whom  the  Indians  named  Winona. 
Came  she  from  the  land  of  sunshine. 
Verdant  meadows,  golden  grain-fields; 
From  the  land  of  schools  and  churches 
From  her  home  and  friends  and  neighbors, 
To  this  far-away  Dakota. 
Feared  she  not  the  storm  and  tempest, 
Feared  not  Indian  chiefs  in  war-paint, 
Nor  young  braves  on  ponies  dashing 
With  a  speed  to  match  the  west-wind. 
Shrunk  she  not  from  filth  and  rudeness, 
Stolid  faces,  uncombed  tresses; 
Brave  of  heart  was  our  Winona. 
Clad  in  virtue  like  a  garment, 
Faith  in  Christ  her  only  armor. 
Love  for  souls  her  only  motive. 
Came  she  with  her  open  Bible, 
And  she  read  it,  taught  it,  lived  it, 
TiU  they  saw  its  wondrous  power. 
It  had  brought  Winona  to  them; 

It  had  filled  her  heart  with  pity  • 

For  a  poor  benighted  people, 
So  they  reverenced  Winona. 
Old  men  came  to  her  for  counsel; 
Youn^.^  braves  ceased  their  crazy  dances; 
Maidens  copied  gowns  and  manners; 
And  they  learned  of  Christ  the  Master 
Through  the  life  of  their  Winona." 

Conspicuous  among  the  Iowa  workers  in  the  Southland 
are  the  names  of  President  H.  S.  De  Forest  of  Talledega, 
President  James  G.  Merrill  of  Fisk,  and  President  Frank  G. 
Woodworth  of  Tougaloo.  An  Iowa  boy,  a  graduate  of  Iowa 
College,  H.  Paul  Douglass,  after  three  years'  service  as  Super- 


308  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

intendent  of  Education  for  the  American  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation schools  in  the  South,  is  now  one  of  the  Secretaries  of 
the  Association. 

Iowa  has  furnished  men  for  many  important  stations 
throughout  the  country.  Doctor  Holbrook  did  great  service 
for  the  Kingdom  in  Illinois,  New  York,  California,  and  Eng- 
land, as  well  as  in  Iowa.  E.  B.  Turner  was  one  of  Iowa's 
great  contributions  to  Missouri.  Newell  Dwight  Hillis  was 
a  Magnolia  boy.  Frank  Newhall  White  was  born  at  Lyons. 
Charles  R.  Brown  is  a  product  of  Iowa,  a  graduate  of  our 
State  University.  George  L.  Cady  learned  how  to  preach 
at  Iowa  City  and  Dubuque  before  he  was  promoted  to  Boston. 
President  Eaton  of  Beloit  College  received  a  part  of  his  train- 
ing for  that  high  position  at  Newton;  President  McClelland 
got  about  all  of  his  furnishings  for  his  great  work  at  Gales- 
burg,  at  Denmark  and  Tabor.  C.  C.  Adams  and  Albert 
Shaw  are  graduates  of  Iowa  College;  and  Jesse  Macy,  one 
of  America's  most  noted  political  economists,  is  a  graduate, 
and  a  professor  of  forty  years  standing.  The  list  of  Iowa 
contributions  to  the  work  of  the  Kingdom  lengthens  out 
indefinitely.  The  sons  and  daughters  of  Iowa  are  in  the 
fields  of  the  Kingdom,  working  in  every  department  of  Chris- 
tian activity  East,  West,  North,  South,  the  world  around. 

•What  has  been  the  output  of  Congregational  Iowa  in  the 
highest  realms  of  mind  and  spirit  we  cannot  tell.  We  have 
no  statistics  of  spiritual  results;  we  cannot  catalogue  or  tabulate 
them.  But  we  may  be  sure  that  Congregational  Iowa  has 
put  something  and  much  into  the  making  of  the  common- 
wealth; into  the  leavening  of  the  nation;  into  the  redemption 
of  communities,  families  and  individual  lives;  into  the  upbuild- 
ing of  character  unto  life  eternal. 

Of  the  future  of  Congregationalism  in  Iowa  we  would  not 
venture  to  prophesy  in  minute  detail,  but  still  with  confidence 
we  may  predict  that  through  the  decades  yet  to  be  the  Pil- 
grims of  Iowa  will  be  marching  on.     We  may  not  guess  what 


THROUGH  THE  DECADES        309 

further  changes  of  polity,  what  new  denominational  names 
and  customs,  or  what  amalgamations  with  other  bodies  of 
Christian  disciples,  there  may  be,  but  we  may  be  sure  that 
there  will  be  church  life  after  the  faith  and  order  of  the  Pil- 
grims of  Plymouth  Rock,  and  of  Denmark,  to  the  end  of  time. 
We  are  admonished  by  recent  events  that  there  may  be  slow 
growth  of  population  and  of  denomination  but  growth  there 
must  be  in  both  directions.  Some  years  ago  one  of  our 
Iowa  pastors  opened  his  mouth  in  prophecy  to  this  effect: 
"Iowa  can  sustain  a  far  denser  population  than  Massachusetts. 
Her  soil  is  richer  and  the  acreage  is  seven  times  as  great. 
But  Massachusetts  has  over  two  hundred  people  to  the 
square  mile,  Iowa  but  thirty-six.  The  day  is  surely  coming 
when  Iowa  will  have  as  many  people  to  the  square  mile  as 
Massachusetts;  she  will  then  have  upwards  of  twelve  million 
people.  What  vast  cities  there  are  to  be,  what  great  centers 
of  commerce  and  manufacture  furnishing  employment  to  the 
coming  millions!  What  developments  of  agriculture  with  art 
and  science  and  every  invention  for  home  comfort!  Think 
of  Iowa  as  the  home  of  twelve  million  people!  And  they're 
coming.     We  are  in  the  ground-swell  of  a  mighty  movement; 

'  I  hear  the  tread  of  pioneers 
Of  miUions  yet  to  be, 
The  first  low  wash  of  waves,  where  soon 
Will  roll  a  mighty  sea.'" 

This  was  in  1890.  The  vision  seems  less  likely  of  fulfill- 
ment now  than  it  did  then.  But  "if  it  tarry,  wait  for  it." 
Not  immediately,  perhaps,  but  sometime  in  the  future,  when 
this  "cheap  land"  craze  is  over;  when  the  deserts  prove  them- 
selves unfit  for  habitation ;  when  the  roving  fever  of  our  people 
is  somewhat  allayed, — but  oh,  when  will  that  ever  be!  when 
people  realize  that  the  "  corn  belt"  is  the  garden  spot  of  the 
world,  and  that  "corn  is  king,"  then  the  fulfillment  of  the 
prophecy  will  begin  to  come.  Listen  to  the  lay  of  "Farmer 
Peablossom"  of  Iowa: 


310  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

"The  South  wind  blew  soft  and  the  sunshine  was  hot; 
Old  farmer  Peablossom  looked  over  his  lot 
Of  waving  green  corn,  and  smiled  a  broad  smile, 
And  said :  '  There's  none  better  for  many  a  mile. 
It's  grew  and  it's  grew  tiU  it's  grew  to  be  great. 
And  all  I'm  afreed  of  is  I  planted  it  late. 
It's  growin'  and  tender,  but  can't  freeze  tonight. 
A  good  week  or  two  more  will  make  it  all  right.' 
Just  then  he  exclaimed  for  he  heard  something  drop; 
'Twas  the  mercury  falling  far  down  from  the  top, 

The  sun  set  in  cold  glory,  clear  as  a  bell; 
He  shivered  and  said:     'It's  an  awful  cold  spell; 
Untimely,  destructive,  unwelcome,  malign, 
'Twill  kill  every  stalk  of  that  green  corn  of  mine!' 

A  dim  morning  followed  that  night  of  alarm; 
The  clouds  had  swung  over  and  shielded  his  farm. 
That  danger  was  past,  and  good  Peablossom's  face 
Smiled  broadly — his  com  had  a  season  of  grace; 
Contentment  and  gladness  his  features  adorn. 
He's  happy  and  jubilant  over  his  corn. 
Which,  rustling  around  him  stately  and  tall, 
Murmiu-s:     'Iowa's  sure  to  come  right  in  the  fall.' 
So  be  not  afraid,  noting  tokens  of  frost. 
That  the  world  has  broke  through  and  everything's  lost; 
And  be  thankful  that  God  when  he  ordered  the  zone, 
Made  Iowa's  garden  delightsome,  His  own." 

Iowa  is  a  rural  state;  we  cannot  expect  to  count  inhab- 
itants as  New  York  and  Illinois;  but  Iowa  is  not  to  be 
depopulated.  This  "Garden  of  Eden,"  this  "Mesopotamia 
of  America,"  where  the  people  sing,  "I've  reached  the  land 
of  corn  and  swine,"  will  never  cease  to  attract  population 
until  eventually  arrive  those  millions  of  which  the  prophets 
have  spoken. 

So  the  future  is  bright  for  Congregational  Iowa.  In  1897 
the  Home  Missionary  Secretary  concluded  his  fifteenth 
report  as  follows:  "The  work  will  go  on.  The  churches  will 
grow.     The  membership  will  continue  to  increase.     One  by 

I 


THROUGH  THE  DECADES        311 

one  churches  now  aided  will  come  to  self-support;  new  fields 
will  open,  good  men  for  the  service  will  never  be  wanting; 
the  streams  running  into  the  treasury  may  sometimes  run 
low,  but  they  will  never  run  dry.  When  we  come  to  our 
thirtieth  anniversary  we  will  count  four  hundred  churches  and 
more,  with  fifty  thousand  members  and  more,  and  benevo- 
lences $100,000  and  more.  Please  mark  my  modest  prophecy, 
and  may  you  all  be  there  to  see,  and  I  to  say,  'I  told  you 
so.'" 

Well,  we  are  within  two  years  of  that  thirtieth  anniversary 
of  self-support.  A  portion  of  this  prophecy  has  been  fulfilled. 
The  streams  of  benevolence  have  not  run  dry,  but  are  running 
with  a  more  abundant  flow  than  ever  before.  In  1908  the 
missionary  offerings  were,  not  the  S100,000  prophesied,  but 
$111,769,  and  in  1909  they  were  $182,565.  But  other  parts 
of  the  vision  appear  to  have  been  illusions.  We  still  lack 
twelve  thousand  of  the  fifty  thousand  membership,  the  net 
gain  of  the  thirteen  years  being  only  2,415,  though  the  aggre- 
gate of  accessions  has  been  42,614.  Taking  in  the  extensions 
of  Congregational  Iowa  in  the  Dakotas  and  on  the  Coast, 
the  vision  is  still  verified. 

But  where  are  the  four  hundred  churches?  A  hundred  of 
them,  if  anywhere,  must  also  be  in  the  Dakotas  or  on  the 
Coast  or  up  in  Canada.  Beyond  a  doubt  some  of  them  are 
there.  If  we  can  trust  our  Minutes,  there  has  been  a  net 
loss  of  thirty  churches  in  the  thirteen  years — three  hundred 
and  twenty-three  then,  two  hundred  and  ninety-three  now. 
But  here  again,  "if  it  tarry,  wait  for  it."  The  wandering 
sheep,  poor  lambs,  will  some  of  them  return.  Soon  our  natural 
increase  will  be  secured  to  us  again.  Some  of  our  cities  are 
growing  even  now  and  they  will  grow  more  rapidly.  By  and 
by  they  will  all  begin  to  grow.  And,  as  the  population 
thickens  in  the  city  and  the  country,  there  will  be  a  demand 
for  more  churches,  union  churches,  that  is  to  say  Congrega- 
tional CHURCHES.     There  is  a  growing  demand  for  ecclesi- 


312  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

astical  liberty  and  democracy,  with  the  broadest  type  of 
charity  and  the  highest  type  of  manhood,  and  therefore 
by  these  tokens,  there  is  a  growing  call  for  churches  of  the 
faith  and  order  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers.  So  with  fervent 
hearts  and  unshaken  confidence  we  may  pray,  "The  Pilgrims 
of  Iowa,  may  their  tribe  increase!" 


Chapter  XV 
"TWILIGHT  AND   EVENING  BELL" 

The  time  for  parting  is  now  at  hand.  We  have  stood  together 
for  a  little  by  the  wayside,  and  watched  the  passing  of  the 
Pilgrims.  The  first  brave  souls,  with  toil  and  pain,  trod 
through  a  wilderness,  and  with  each  traveler  after  adding  help 
and  cheer,  they  made  the  way,  till,  for  the  Pilgrims  of  today, 
a  fair  path  stretches  on  through  pleasant  fields;  while  back 
along  the  winding  caravan,  float  from  the  portals  of  the  City 
snatches  of  the  song  of  those  first  heroes  as  they  enter  in. 

Through  all  the  decades  we  have  seen  our  Pilgrim  bands 
marching  on  to  conquest,  but,  one  by  one,  each  marching  on 
"to  that  bourne  whence  no  traveler  returns," — into  the  life 
eternal. 

"  Part  of  the  host  have  crossed  the  flood 
And  part  are  crossing  now." 

The  pioneers  are  all  gone,  the  prospectors,  the  patriarchs, 
and  now  the  last  of  the  Iowa  Band. 

One  of  the  Band  outlived  the  period  this  book  was  designed 
to  cover,  but  now  he,  too,  has  passed  away.  There  is  no 
occasion  to  repeat  at  length  the  familiar  story  of  the  life  of 
William  Salter.  He  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  New  York, 
November  17,  182L  He  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  the 
city,  and  was  graduated  from  the  University  of  the  City  of 
New  York.  He  was  in  Union  Seminary  for  two  years  but 
graduated  from  Andover  with  the  others  of  the  Band  in  1843. 
He  was  the  youngest  of  the  eleven  and  the  longest  in  the  field. 
He  was  one  of  the  seven  ordained  at  Denmark,  November  5, 
1843.     He  was  the  first  of  the  Band  to  organize  a  church.     He 

313 


314  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

had  two  fields  of  labor.  Doctor  Robbins  had  but  one,  but 
Doctor  Salter's  pastorate  of  sixty-four  years  exceeded  in  length 
that  of  any  other  minister  of  any  denomination  in  the  West. 
It  was  a  notable  pastorate  in  other  respects  in  that  notable 
men  of  the  state  and  country  belonging  to  his  parish  were 
influenced  by  his  life  and  teachings.  He  was  a  scholar  and  a 
writer  of  books;  among  them,  the  "Life  of  Governor  Grimes," 
"Life  of  Joseph  Pickett,"  and  "Iowa  the  First  Free-State." 
He  was  a  poet  at  heart  and  sometimes  expressed  himself  in 
verse;  he  admired  the  great  works  of  art,  especially  did  he 
prize  a  noble  hymn  and  he  made  choice  collections  of  poetry 
and  song.  He  had  his  own  view  of  things  and  held  stoutly 
to  his  own  opinions,  but  he  was  a  man  of  great  catholicity  of 
spirit,  of  the  broadest  charity.  It  required  special  grace  on 
his  part  to  consent  to  be  a  denominationalist  at  all,  and  he 
was  a  Congregationalist  only  because  Congregationalism  is 
not  a  sect  but  a  spiritual  brotherhood.  Still  he  prized  the 
fellowship  of  his  Congregational  brethren  and  joined  heartily 
with  them  in  all  their  denominational  work.  He  was  espe- 
cially cordial  to  young  men  coming  into  the  ministry,  and  many 
a  young  minister  has  felt  the  thrill  and  inspiration  of  his  cor- 
dial welcome.  He  entered  into  rest  Monday,  August  15,  1910. 
Perhaps  Doctor  Salter's  most  intimate  ministerial  comrade 
in  the  last  decade  of  his  life  was  Rev.  Charles  E.  Perkins, 
of  Keosauqua.  They  were  drawn  to  each  other  in  the  bonds 
of  mental  and  spiritual  kinship.  At  the  funeral  the  younger 
brother's  tribute  to  the  memory  of  his  elder  brother  closes 
with  these  lines: 

"Years  pass;  and  though  all  gently  still 
The  touch  of  time  rests  on  that  head, 
The  ageing  flesh  hath  weakened,  till 
The  feet  move  now  with  tottering  tread 
The  dimming  eye,  th'  enfeebled  voice, 
Proclaim  the  fateful  hour  drawn  nigh, 
When,  to  all  earthly  works  and  joys, 
This  strong,  white  soul  must  say,  Good-bye. 


"TWILIGHT  AND   EVENING   BELL"  315 

Ah,  friend,  death's  coming  brings  no  feara 
To  thee,  fast  anchored  in  the  faith 
That  triumphs  o'er  the  weight  of  years 
And  waning  strength  and  shortening  breath. 
With  patient  trust  thou  waitest  still. 
As  thou  hast  trusted  all  thy  days 
Resigned,  whate'er  thy  Father's  will; 
Thy  mind  yet  buoyant  with  his  praise. 

The  last  hour  nears;  hath  come,  hath  gone! 
And  ere  the  stroke  dies  on  the  air, 
Our  friend's  immortal  part  hath  flown. 
And  can  we  doubt  or  question  where? 
Nay;  heaven  within  his  soul  did  dwell, 
What  time  he  wrought  so  bravely  here; 
Heaven  maketh  heaven.     So,  friend,  farewell; 
We  say  it  for  thy  sake,  with  cheer." 

Later  in  this  year,  1910,  October  29,  Brother  George  H. 
White  reaches  the  end  of  his  long  and  useful  life.  He  was 
born  in  Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania,  December  29,  1830,  and 
graduated  at  Wabash  College  in  1852.  He  was  a  missionary 
of  the  American  Board  in  Turkey  from  1857-1863.  He  came 
to  Iowa  in  1872,  and  was  pastor  of  the  Chester  Church  from 
1872-1886.  All  the  years  of  his  retirement  he  lived  in  Grin- 
nell.  The  crowning  pleasure  of  his  life  was  the  privilege  of 
sending  his  son  as  a  foreign  missionary  back  to  the  land  of  his 
nativity.  A  man  of  the  finest  mental  and  spiritual  texture, 
honest,  sincere,  devout,  was  this  good  man,  George  H. 
White. 

Of  some  of  the  old  patriarchs  now  living  Father  G.  G.  Rice 
of  the  Missouri  Slope,  Frisbie,  Snowden,  Moulton,  etc.,  we  have 
already  spoken. 

One  of  the  old  men  of  our  fellowship  is  Brother  Edward  P. 
Kimball.  He  was  born  in  Bath,  New  Hampshire,  July  25, 
1819;  graduated  from  Bangor  Theological  Seminary  in  1850; 
came  to  Iowa  in  1857,  his  fields  Newton,  Wilton,  Monticello, 
Fairfax,  Blairstown  and  Central  City.  When  his  time  for 
retirement  came,  he  moved  to  Waterloo,  and  there  for  years 


316  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

had  sweet  fellowship  with  M.  K.  Cross,  Ephraim  Adams  and 
other  saints  of  fewer  years  residing  there. 

In  Grinnell  and  in  college  circles  generally,  they  call  Pro- 
fessor Parker  the  "Grand  Old  Man."  He  came  to  Iowa  in 
1856  arriving  at  Grinnell,  as  it  now  appears,  to  prepare  the 
way  for  Iowa  College.  Teaching  in  the  public  school,  he  was 
on  the  ground  to  welcome  the  college  from  Davenport  in  1859, 
and  for  eleven  years,  he  was  not  indeed,  the  whole  institution, 
but  a  very  considerable  part  of  it.  From  1870  to  1888  he  was 
professor  of  history  at  the  State  University,  then  returned  to 
finish  his  course  in  Grinnell.  It  took  him  ten  years  more  to 
earn  the  degree,  "Professor  Emeritus."  He  was  ordained 
in  1862,  not  to  be  a  pastor,  for  he  was  wedded  to  college  work, 
but  because  he  could  preach,  and  because  he  would,  and  be- 
cause it  was  thought  that  with  a  "Reverend"  attached  to  his 
name  he  could  more  fittingly  represent  the  dignity  of  the  col- 
lege. He  has  found  abundant  opportunity  for  the  exercise 
of  the  preaching  function ;  his  educational  and  other  addresses 
have  run  into  the  hundreds,  and  more  numerous  still  are  the 
productions  of  his  pen.  He  is  now  writing  a  history  of  Powe- 
shiek County.     We  still  call  him  the  "old  man  eloquent." 

There  are  other  candidates  for  patriarchal  honors.  W.  L. 
Bray  began  life  in  England,  spent  his  boyhood  and  began  to 
preach  in  Wisconsin,  came  to  Iowa,  to  Newton,  in  1869.  A 
forceful  preacher,  interesting  and  evangelistic,  a  live  man  from 
foot  to  crown,  he  has  done  us  splendid  service.  In  his  minis- 
try he  has  received  to  church  membership  nine  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  individuals,  four  hundred  and  ninety-eight  of 
them  in  Iowa.  He  is  growing  old  very  slowly  and  very  grace- 
fully. One  would  not  think  it,  but  he  is  seventy-eight;  we 
must  not  expect  much  more  of  Brother  Bray. 

Professor  S.  J.  Buck  came  to  Iowa  in  1864.  He  came  to 
teach,  but  he  had  a  gospel  message  also,  and  served  the  young 
Chester  Center  church  for  three  years,  and  was  pastor  at 
Oilman  for  seven  years.     His  active  professorship  in  Iowa 


FRANCIS  FAWKES 


ANTON  PAULU 


D.  G.  YOUKER.  J.  H.  HANSON 

REPRESENTATIVE  HOME  MISSIONARIES 


"TWILIGHT  AND  EVENING  BELL*'  317 

College  covers  a  period  of  forty-one  years;  since  1905  he  has 
been  Professor  Emeritus.  His  life  has  been  one  of  mathemat- 
ical precision.  For  the  most  part  he  has  kept  his  feet  on  the 
earth,  and  his  head  among  the  stars.  No  man  has  served  the 
college  more  faithfully  and  loyally.  He  too  will  have  a  place 
in  history  as  one  of  the  builders  of  the  commonwealth  and  of 
Congregational  Iowa. 

Francis  Fawkes  began  his  life  and  his  ministry  as  a  lay 
preacher  of  the  "Bible  Christian  Methodist  Church"  in  Eng- 
land. In  1864  he  came  to  Dubuque  and  was  employed  as 
a  druggist's  clerk.  In  1865  he  united  with  the  Congregational 
church.  The  next  year  Superintendent  Guernsey  laid  his 
hand  upon  him  and  said,  "I  want  you  for  home  missionary 
service."  A  more  commanding  voice  was  in  that  call,  and  it 
was  the  beginning  of  more  than  forty  years  of  faithful,  hum- 
ble, fruitful  service,  fifteen  years  at  Durango  and  more  than 
twenty-five  at  Otho.  Retiring  in  1904,  Otho  still  retained 
him  as  pastor  emeritus.  I  venture  to-day  to  send  the  greeting 
of  Congregational  Iowa  to  Francis  Fawkes:  "Well  done, 
good  and  faithful  servant." 

Silas  F.  Millikan  by  antecedents  hails  from  the  Berkshire 
hills  of  Massachusetts,  but  selected  Ohio  as  his  birthplace,  and 
took  in  Illinois  on  his  way  to  Iowa.  After  thirty  full,  rich 
years  of  work  in  Iowa — forty-six  in  the  ministry — he  retired 
to  be  a  "good  parishioner"  at  Maquoketa,  in  the  church  where 
he  had  been  pastor  for  thirteen  years.  He  has  always,  and 
most  rightfully,  counted  his  wife  as  one  with  him  in  the  service ; 
together  they  have  raised  up  a  royal  family  for  the  work  of  the 
Kingdom,  to  prolong  their  days  of  usefulness  in  the  world. 
Brother  Millikan  writes :  "We  are  both  in  our  seventy-seventh 
year,  but  there  is  work  for  us  both  in  the  church  and  society. 
In  the  course  of  nature  we  may  not  have  many  years  to  spend 
in  these  pleasant  surroundings,  but  we  expect  that  our  glori- 
ous Redeemer  will,  in  his  own  good  time,  lift  us  to  the  man- 
sions prepared  for  those  who  love  him." 


318  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Probably  John  Ogilvie  Stevenson  will  not  wish  to  be  classed 
among  the  veterans,  but  he  was  born  in  1841  and  has  been  in 
Iowa  for  over  thirty  years,  and  a  citizen  of  Waterloo  for  nearly 
a  quarter  of  a  century.  He  was  one  of  our  best  preachers,  and 
would  be  now  had  not  his  voice  failed  him.  But  he  "had  the 
pen  of  a  ready  writer,"  and  he  makes  an  ideal  State  Registrar. 
An  Association  would  scarce  be  an  Association — or  a  confer- 
ence either — without  J.  0.  Stevenson.  We  hereby  promise 
to  support  him  in  the  office  for  another  decade.  A  brother- 
admired  and  beloved  is  he. 

For  twenty-one  years  we  wrote:  "Youker  of  Gowrie"  and 
we  are  writing  it  still.  He  began  work  here  in  1875.  Later 
he  took  on  Manson,  Center  and  Farnhamville,  a  field  about 
thirty  miles  square.  He  was  for  eleven  years  pastor  at  Rock- 
well, then  returned  to  his  first  love,  retiring  for  old  age  only  a 
few  months  ago.  An  evangelistic  pastor,  a  revival  preacher, 
terrible  in  his  denunciations  of  sin,  his  voice  sometimes  "like 
the  sound  of  many  waters."  He  once  said  to  a  man:  "It 
will  cost  you  $10,000  to  be  a  Christian."  Wrong-doers  were 
afraid  of  him ;  yet  he  was  gentle,  kindly  and  loving  as  a  neigh- 
bor, friend  and  brother.  He  has  been  one  of  Calhoun  County's 
most  distinguished  citizens  and  one  of  her  greatest  forces  for 
truth  and  righteousness.  Without  him  our  fellowship  would 
not  be  perfect. 

We  have  long  been  looking  for  a  good  place  to  slip  in  the 
name  of  Brother  John  M.  Cumings;  here  it  is.  He  came  to 
Iowa  in  1853,  not  as  a  preacher  exactly,  for  he  was  only  five 
years  of  age,  but  he  soon  became  the  son  of  a  preacher.  He 
took  his  father's  place  at  Percival  in  1876,  and  since  then  he 
has  been  holding  forth  the  word  of  life  in  Iowa  churches. 
Most  of  his  ministry  has  been  up  in  the  Sioux  country,  and 
on  the  Missouri  slope,  though  he  has  just  completed  a  nine 
years'  pastorate  with  the  "mother  church"  at  Denmark.  He 
has  done  faithful  and  efficient  services  everywhere,  and  every 
church  has  prospered  under  his  administration.     The  mis- 


"TWILIGHT   AND   EVENING  BELL"  319 

sionary  cause  was  never  forgotten  where  he  was  pastor,  and 
benevolences  have  always  increased  under  his  hand.  In  the 
Io%va  work  he  has  filled  his  place,  and  filled  it  well.  He  is  now 
at  Farragut. 

Jacob  Fath  came  to  Iowa  in  1854,  a  lad  of  fourteen.  It  has 
been  said  that  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  the  Germans  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley  turned  the  tide  of  battle  in  favor  of  the 
North.  Jacob  Fath  was  one  of  them.  In  1877  he  returned  to 
the  fatherland;  studied  two  years  at  Berne,  and  three  at 
Strasburg;  then,  in  1882,  he  began  at  Muscatine  his  ministry 
of  more  than  a  quarter-century  to  the  Germans  of  Iowa.  With 
great  gratitude  of  heart  and  much  brotherly  love  we  acknowl- 
edge the  good  work  done  by  Brother  Fath  and  the  other 
German  brethren  in  the  making  of  Iowa  and  in  the  building 
of  our  Congregational  Zion. 

It  is  claimed  that  Brother  Leroy  Hand's  ordination,  ante- 
dates that  of  any  other  man  in  active  pastoral  work  in  Iowa. 
Brother  Ficke  and  Secretary  Douglass  were  ordained  the  same 
year,  1868,  but  not  so  early  as  June.  Brother  Hand  came  to 
Iowa  in  1870.  Seven  only  of  the  intervening  forty  years  have 
been  spent  out  of  the  state.  He  has  helped  our  work  in  a  vari- 
ety of  ways.  He  has  organized  new  churches,  built  up  old 
ones  and  brought  them  to  self-support;  he  has  erected  houses 
of  worship,  built  parsonages;  aided  in  many  councils;  and 
strengthened  the  fellowship  of  associations.  By  his  cheerful 
spirit,  his  sanity  of  judgment  and  irenic  disposition  he  has 
exerted  a  helpful  influence  everywhere.  As  we  count  up  our 
jewels,  one  of  them  we  name  Leroy  S.  Hand. 

Others  there  are  who  have  given  us  many  years  of  valuable 
service,  of  whom  we  would  be  glad  to  speak  at  length.  John 
Wesley  Ferner,  of  German  antecedents,  but  a  thorough  going 
middle-west  American  in  birth  and  education  and  character- 
istics, began  with  us  at  Prairie  City  in  1879.  In  1910  he  was 
still  with  us,  though  in  the  thirty  years  we  loaned  him  for  a 
little  time  to  Missouri  and  Illinois,  and  now  he  has  left  us,  for 


320  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

awhile,  for  work  in  Nebraska.  He  has  grown  to  manhood, 
and  to  preacherhood  in  our  service,  and  we  count  him  also  as 
one  of  our  jewels. 

And  there  is  our  Quaker  boy  Addison  D.  Kinzer.  He  came 
in  contact  with  Julian  M.  Sturtevant  at  Hannibal,  Missouri. 
That  fixed  him  for  Congregationalism!  His  first  work  for  us 
was  among  the  freedmen  of  the  South.  He  began  in  Iowa 
at  Union  in  1871.  He  was  at  Hampton  for  eleven  years. 
Marion,  Perry,  Pilgrim  Des  Moines,  and  Lyons,  were  greatly 
profited  by  his  ministrations.  In  1905  he  went  to  Washington 
to  serve  a  little  longer,  and  then  to  retire  on  his  little  fruit- 
ranch  near  Seattle.  Thanks  to  him,  and  thanks  to  God,  for 
his  life  work  in  Iowa! 

It  grieves  me  much  to  pass  by  the  names  of  many  noble 
workers  of  later  advent  who  are  now  bearing  the  burden  and 
heat  of  the  day.  As  one  notes  such  names  as  Breed,  Brereton, 
Burling,  Burleigh,  Cushman,  Day,  Denney,  Orville  Douglass, 
Herr,  Henderson,  Hix,  Hinman,  Holmes,  Johnson,  all  the 
Joneses,  Locke,  Minchin,  Olmstead,  Osborne,  Rollins,  the 
Smiths,  Thompson,  Tower,  Willett,  and  some  scores  of  others, 
it  is  hard  to  exclude  them  for  the  mere  crime  of  not  having 
arrived  on  time.  Rest  assured,  brethren,  that  you  are 
brothers  beloved,  one  and  all,  and  your  work  is  appreciated, 
and,  if  you  stay  long  enough,  you  may  expect  whole  paragraphs 
or  pages  in  the  history  which  shall  be  written  by  another  hand. 

A  few  more  paragraphs  will  close  the  present  volume.  Sit- 
ting in  the  twilight  and  listening  to  the  "chime  of  memory's 
bells,"  it  would  be  pleasant  to  indulge  in  reveries,  and  call 
to  mind  the  varied  experiences  of  forty-three  years  of  service 
in  Iowa,  from  the  "trial  sermon"  and  the  journey  to  Padan 
Aram,  in  1868,  to  "the  conclusion  in  1907,"  and  then  "since  I 
quit"  until  now.  But  perhaps  it  will  be  more  fitting  and  prof- 
itable that  the  closing  paragraphs  of  this  book  should  be  testi- 
monies to  the  "angels  and  messengers"  and  churches  of  our 
beloved  Zion. 


"TWILIGHT  AND   EVENING  BELL"  321 

In  Doctor  Salter's  copy  of  the  Iowa  Band,  on  a  blank  leaf, 
written  in  his  own  hand,  I  find  this  record: 

The  two  8urvi\'ing  members  of  the  Iowa  Band,  having  been  in  attend- 
ance at  the  meeting  of  the  State  General  Association  in  Des  Moines, 
June  3-6,  1902,  and  being  now  present  in  the  fifty-fifth  year  of  Iowa  Col- 
lege, June  10,  1902,  at  Grinnell,  in  the  home  of  Horace  Hutchinson  Rob- 
bins  with  Gershom  and  James  L  Hill,  sons  of  deceased  members  of  the 
Band,  and  with  Asa  Turner,  son  of  the  Rev.  Asa  Turner,  the  patriarch 
of  the  Iowa  churches,  record  their  devout  thanksgiving  to  God  for  the 
sacred  memories  of  former  years,  and  their  younger  brethren  join  them  in 
their  testimony  to  the  God  of  their  fathers,  whose  mercy  is  from  ever- 
lasting to  everlasting,  and  his  righteousness  imto  children's  children. 

These  memorials  to  the  faithfulness  and  mercy  of  the  God 
of  our  fathers  from  generation  to  generation,  "I  would  tran- 
scribe and  make  them  mine."  And  I  would  add  my  testimony 
to  the  guiding  hand  of  God  in  the  affairs  of  men.  Through  the 
agency  of  Superintendent  Guernsey  I  had  a  distinct  call  to 
Iowa;  and  I  had  a  feeble  call  to  Osage,  I  protested,  but  I 
went,  moved  by  a  volition  not  my  own;  and  there  I  was  held, 
in  loving  bonds,  for  fourteen  years;  then  by  a  series  of  swiftly 
moving  providences,  wonderful  and  unmistakable,  I  was  called 
to  the  home  missionary  field,  and  held  to  it  for  a  quarter  of  a 
century;  and  I  have  almost  learned  to  sing: 

"In  each  event  of  Hfe  how  clear 
Thy  ruling  hand  I  see; 
Each  blessing  to  my  soul  more  dear 
Because  conferred  by  thee;" 

and  I  can  commend  the  testing  of  the  promise,  "In  all  thy 
ways  acknowledge  him,  and  he  shall  direct  thy  paths." 

In  these  testimonies  I  wish  to  speak  a  good  word  for  the 
Church,  now  discredited  in  many  quarters.  I  do  not  care  to 
debate  the  origin,  the  authority,  or  the  efficiency  of  the  Church, 
but  I  must  record  my  conviction,  growing  with  the  years,  that 
this  unique  institution  is  by  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ, 
embodied  in  the  great  commission,  adapted  to  the  world's  needs 
in  all  the  ages;  that  the  hope  of  the  world's  salvation  to-day  is 

22 


322  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

in  the  Church,  and  that  a  man  can  best  build  the  Kingdom, 
and  build  himself  into  the  Kingdom  by  membership  and  serv- 
ice in  the  visible  Church.  Therefore,  "let  the  people  sing; 
let  all  the  people  sing,"  with  new  devotion  and  enthusiasm — 

"I  love  thy  kingdom,  Lord, 
The  house  of  thine  abode, 
The  church  our  blest  Redeemer  saved 
With  his  own  precious  blood. 

I  love  thy  church,  O  God! 
Her  walls  before  thee  stand. 
Dear  as  the  apple  of  thine  eye, 
And  graven  on  thy  hand. 

For  her  my  tears  shall  fall; 

For  her  my  prayers  ascend ; 

To  her  my  cares  and  toils  be  given; 

Till  toils  and  cares  shall  end." 

As  a  minister  of  the  Church  "I  magnify  my  office."  If  I 
could  choose  again,  I  would  choose  as  I  did  in  early  manhood. 
I  still  count  the  ministry  as  the  "high  calling  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus,"  a  vocation  of  the  highest  honor,  and  furnishing  the 
greatest  opportunity  for  service.  I  had  no  disposition  to  dic- 
tate to  God  or  to  my  children  what  their  calling  should  be,  but 
it  has  been  a  great  delight  to  me  all  these  years  that  two  of 
them  are  ministers,  and  a  third  the  presiding  genius  of  a  par- 
sonage. As  I  look  at  it  no  pastor  is  prepared  for  death  until 
he  has  appointed  his  successor,  and  furnished  one  or  more  to 
take  up  his  work  when  he  lays  it  down. 

I  would  testify  too,  to  the  truth  of  the  Old  Testament  prom- 
ise, "Trust  in  the  Lord  and  do  good;  so  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the 
land,  and  verily  thou  shalt  be  fed."  The  disciples,  called  to 
be  fishers  of  men,  found  by  the  lakeside  a  fire  they  had  not 
kindled,  bread  they  had  not  provided,  and  fish  they  had  not 
caught,  and  they  heard  the  Master  call,  "Children,  come  and 
dine!"  In  that  morning  meal  every  minister  of  Christ  may 
read  his  promise,  "Forsaking  all  for  this,  I  will  see  to  it  that 
you  have  your  breakfast,  and  your  dinner,  and  your  supper, 


"TWILIGHT  AND   EVENING   BELL"  323 

and  your  continual  support."  I  have  found  it  so,  and  so  will 
you.  I  am  rather  glad  to  say  that  in  all  my  ministry  I  have 
never  set  a  price  upon  my  labors.  I  have  allowed  others  to 
name  the  salary,  though  I  have  more  than  once  refused  an 
increase.  No  minister  can  afford  to  be  a  stickler  for  his  salary; 
better  far  to  cast  himself  upon  the  Lord  and  upon  his  people. 
So  shalt  thou  dwell  in  the  parish,  and  verily  thou  shalt  be  fed. 

I  must  also  bring  in  a  vigorous  testimony  against  the  "place- 
seeker"  and  the  "time-server."  I  think  the  Iowa  ministry 
has  been  for  the  most  part  free  from  these  twin  vices.  The 
pastor  always  looking  for  greener  fields  and  pastures  new  is  of 
little  use.  Not  the  place-seeker  but  the  place-maker  is  the 
useful  man.  Once  upon  a  time  a  young  man  took  a  little, 
undeveloped  field  in  northern  Iowa,  and  prospered  in  it. 
Later  a  brother  minister,  meeting  him  for  the  first  time,  said, 
"You've  got  a  pretty  good  field  up  there,  haven't  you?" 
Before  the  young  man  could  answer,  the  Superintendent  of 
Home  Missions  responded  for  him,  "Yes,  but  he  made  it." 
There  is  abundant  opportunity  still  for  place-making  in  Iowa. 

Once  more  I  venture  to  harp  upon  the  old  string  and  plead 
for  permanence.  "Residence  is  capital."  It  is  not  always  so 
but  usually  it  is.  The  Iowa  Band  came  saying,  "Please  God, 
we  will  spend  our  lives  in  Iowa,"  and  they  did  it,  and  therefore 
Doctor  Dunning  could  write,  "It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that 
their  combined  influence  has  given  character,  not  only  to  the 
denomination  in  the  state,  but  to  the  state  itself."  Possibly 
some  of  our  pastorates  have  been  too  long,  but  the  most  of 
them  have  been  too  short,  many  of  them  so  short  that  they 
might  about  as  well  not  have  been  at  all.  The  work  of  the 
men  who  flit  from  place  to  place  and  from  state  to  state  is 
hardly  worth  the  counting.  A  good  degree  of  permanence 
is  absolutely  essential  to  accomplishment  of  anything  worth 
while.  Five  years'  residence  would  not  make  a  "Father 
Turner."  Doctor  Holbrook's  great  monument  at  Dubuque 
could  not  be  erected  in  a  pastorate  of  three  or  four  years.     One 


324  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

of  our  great  needs  to-day  is  that  two  or  threescore  of  young 
men  should  come  and  give  their  hearts  and  their  lives  to  Iowa. 
We  have  men  of  this  sort,  but  not  enough  of  them. 

I  have  already  spoken  in  praise  of  our  Iowa  fellowship,  so 
hearty,  cordial,  genuine,  sincere,  and  democratic!  Many 
coming  from  other  communions  and  associations  have  pro- 
nounced it  unique,  and  others,  passing  on  have  looked  back 
to  it  with  longing  as  for  something  lost.  Some  years  ago 
Brother  Robert  L.  Marsh,  coming  from  another  state,  began 
to  look  about  for  "the  ring."  He  supposed  that  of  course  there 
was  a  "ring,"  and  he  said  "Of  course,  Douglass  is  in  it,  and 
Frisbie  is  in  it — but  how  adroit  these  fellows;  their  machina- 
tions are  past  finding  out!"  Finally  he  concluded  there  was 
no  ring;  and  there  was  not,  and  there  never  has  been,  and, 
God  grant  there  may  never  be,  but  that  ever  we  may  be  true  to 
our  Congregational  motto  and  charter,  "One  is  your  Master, 
even  Christ,  and  all  ye  are  brethren." 

The  fellowship  expressed  in  special  occasions,  such  as  anni- 
versary celebrations,  has  a  flavor  all  its  own.  People  then 
feel  at  liberty  to  speak  out  their  affections  as  they  ordinarily 
do  not  permit  themselves  to  do.  Our  silver  wedding  at  Osage 
is  an  illustration.  The  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  our  home 
missionary  service  is  another.  And  there  were  other  occasions 
in  which  we  have  heard  words  spoken  which  it  is  not  lawful 
for  man  to  hear,  except  from  under  the  cofl&n  lid.  Now  and 
then  we  practice  the  sentiment: 

"  'Twere  better  to  send  a  cheap  bouquet 
To  a  living  friend  this  very  day, 
Than  a  bushel  of  roses,  white  and  red, 
To  lay  on  his  coflSn  when  he  is  dead." 

Some  of  us  feel  that  we  had  our  bushel  of  roses  long  ago.  I 
wish  here  to  testify  to  the  end  of  time,  at  least  so  far  as  this 
book  can  carry  it,  to  the  kindness  and  goodness  of  the  people 
of  Osage,  our  only  parish,  and  of  the  people  of  Congregational 
Iowa  to  me  and  mine.     The  favors  received  are  far  beyond  the 


"TWILIGHT  AND   EVENING   BELL"  325 

merit  of  the  services.  But  this  is  our  Congregational  Iowa 
way.  At  least  now  and  then,  as  occasion  offers,  the  spirit  of 
fellowship  expresses  itself  in  loving  words  as  well  as  kindly 
deeds. 

And  now  my  closing  testimony  is  to  the  coming  of  the 
Kingdom.  "The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard 
seed"  a  perpetual  promise  of  perpetual  growth.  The  prayer 
of  the  Lord,  and  of  the  Christian  ages,  "Thy  kingdom  come" 
is  being  answered.  "Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the 
coming  of  the  Lord";  I  have  seen  the  new  Jerusalem  coming 
down  from  God  out  of  heaven.  I  have  caught  glimpses  of  the 
omnipotent  Christ  seated  on  the  circle  of  the  heavens,  "on  his 
vesture  and  on  his  thigh  this  name  written,  King  of  kings  and 
Lord  of  lords";  and  I  know  that  "He  will  not  fail,  neither  will 
he  be  discouraged,"  until  he  completes  the  work  to  which  he 
has  set  his  hand  in  "equity  and  righteousness."  We  fail, 
churches  fail,  nations  fail;  Jesus  fails  never;  we  get  discour- 
aged, churches  get  discouraged,  nations  get  discouraged; 
Jesus  never  gets  discouraged.  He  knows  what  he  is  about; 
he  sees  the  end  from  the  beginning;  he  is  the  great  leader  of 
the  "sacramental  host  of  God's  elect."  He  holds  in  his  right 
hand  "the  seven  stars"  and  "the  seven  spirits  of  God";  all 
spiritual  agencies  and  influences  are  under  his  control,  and  the 
issue  is  not  doubtful. 

"Wherefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  be  ye  steadfast,  unmov- 
able,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch 
as  ye  know  that  your  labor  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord." 


Chapter  XVI 
THE   CHURCHES   IN  A  NUTSHELL 

It  is  great  pity  that  we  must  crowd  the  great  histories  of 
our  churches  into  the  little  nutshells  of  this  chapter.  Sug- 
gestions of  what  might  be  written  of  many  of  these  churches 
may  be  found  in  the  things  that  have  been  written  concern- 
ing some  of  them  in  preceding  chapters. 

The  list,  alphabetically  arranged,  with  dates  of  organiza- 
tions, names  of  pastors,  etc.,  is  substantially  complete,  only 
a  few  being  omitted,  and  those  of  no  significance.  The  num- 
ber of  the  list  is  four  hundred  and  seventy-one. 

No  doubt  those  famihar  with  the  churches  of  the  state  will 
be  surprised  at  the  number  of  unfamiliar  names  here  recorded. 
More  than  one-third  of  these  churches  are  not  now  in  existence. 
Some  never  had  anything  more  than  a  name  to  live.  Some 
died  in  good  health  and  without  cause  or  reason  excepting 
unwillingness  to  bear  the  responsibilities  of  life.  Many  that 
dropped  out  by  the  way  justified  themselves  in  their  living, 
and  in  their  dying  too.  Some  died  to  live  in  other  churches, 
sometimes  in  churches  of  other  names.  The  loss  by  death 
is  not  nearly  as  great  as  appearances  would  seem  to  indicate. 
This  list  of  churches,  names  of  pastors,  and  dates  of  dedications 
represent  decades  and  even  centuries  of  consecrated  toil  and 
sacrifice  with  great  forces  intellectual,  moral  and  spiritual, 
working  for  the  making  of  the  commonwealth,  the  leaven- 
ing of  the  nation,  and  the  saving  of  the  world. 

Adelphi:  Organized   November    17,    1906.     Pastors:     H.    H.    Long    and 

R.  C.  Helfenstein.     Dedication  May  5,  1905. 
Agency:  May  10,  1844.     B.  A.  Spaulding,  1843-1850.     Disbanded  1850. 

Reorganized  November  25,  1865,  E.  E.  Webber,  pastor.     Disbanded 

in  1867  and  again  reorganized  July  11,  1895.     Allen  Clark,  Eva  K. 

Miller,  D.  M.  Lower.     Dedication  September  6,  1903. 

336 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   A  NUTSHELL  327 

Alden:  July  18,  1866.  H.  S.  Thompson,  W.  J.  Smith,  H.  H.  Robbins, 
Charles  Hancock,  T.  J.  Reid,  F.  G.  Webster,  M.  Mooney,  F.  B.  Noyes, 
J.  A.  Miller,  J.  B.  Chase,  C.  N.  Lyman,  A.  Fisher,  M.  Lambley,  G.  L. 
Marsh,  N.  P.  Olmstead  and  A.  G.  Axtell.  Ded'.cations:  Fall  of 
1867  and  November  25,  1900. 

Alexander:  October  5,  1897.  S.  A.  Martin,  C.  A.  Chambers,  B.  W.  Nor- 
throp, W.  G.  Marts,  W.  R.  McLaine  and  G.  R.  Parker.  Dedication 
July  21,  1907. 

Albia:  May  11,  1869.  Survived  only  three  years.  M.  Rowley,  pastor 
one  year. 

Algona:  August  15,  1858.  Chauncey  Taylor,  1856-1873.  H.  B.  Under- 
wood, W.  H.  Burnard  (1875-1888),  WiUiam  Davidson,  1888-1893, 
C.  E.  Sinclair,  W.  J.  Suckow,  O.  H.  Holmes,  1902—.  Dedications: 
September,  1868  and  June,  1886. 

Allison:  July  21,  1887.  John  Gray,  W.  S.  HamUn,  H.  C.  Calhoun,  J.  S. 
Norris,  W.  B.  Sanford,  H.  C.  Brown,  W.  G.  Little,  W.  D.  King,  F.  A. 
Slyfield,  V.  B.  Hill,  W.  H.  Walcott,  W.  U.  Parks.  Dedication  Decem- 
ber 8,  1889. 

Almoral:  March  26,  1857.  H.  N.  Gates  and  J.  H.  Kasson,  1857-1860; 
(then  yoked  with  Earlville  Church).  Meetings  in  schoolhouse  until 
February  8,  1903. 

Alpha:  August  12,  1891.     Yoked  with  Waucoma.     Disbanded,  1904. 

Alton:  June  24,  1890.  J.  C.  Ablett,  H.  G.  Cooley,  A.  P.  Solandt,  Thomas 
Gales,  C.  H.  Moxie,  W.  L.  Bray.     Dedication  September,  1891 — . 

Alvord:  November  22,  1891.  Yoked  with  Larchwood  and  Doon.  J.  E. 
Janson,  1907 — •.     Dedication  January  8,  1893. 

Ames:  November  5,  1865.  John  White,  Simeon  Gilbert,  A.  A.  Baker, 
G.  G.  Perkins,  W.  P.  Bennett,  E.  C.  Moulton,  J.  D.  Wells,  F.  J.  Doug- 
lass, H.  P.  Douglass,  C.  H.  Seccombe,  H.  D.  Herr  and  W.  J.  Minchin. 
Dedications:     October  8,  1866  and  March  18,  1900. 

Anamosa:  (originally  Big  Woods).  November  14,  1846.  Alfred  Wright, 
E.  O.  Bennett,  H.  W.  Strong,  S.  P.  LaDue,  S.  A.  Benton,  O.  W.  Merrill, 
William  Patten,  R.  M.  Sawyer,  J.  B.  Fiske,  1872-1888,  W.  W.  Willard, 
E.  W.  Beers,  W.  J.  Stewart,  S.  F.  Millikan,  1893-1902,  J.  M.  McLaren, 
O.  O.  Stevens,  C.  H.  Beaver,  1905—.  Dedications  in  1851,  1864 
and  1904. 

Andrew:  (Cottonville)  December  26,  1841.  O.  Emerson,  Wilham  Salter, 
W.  A.  Kieth,  W.  L.  Coleman,  S.  D.  Helms  and  T.  H.  Canfield.  Dis- 
banded 1873. 

Anita:  April  12,  1870.  C.  D.  Wright,  C.  D.  Irwin,  A.  A.  Whitmore,  S.  D. 
Smith,  C.  H.  Mcintosh,  J.  M.  Cummings,  E.  P.  Childs,  J.  T.  Marvin, 
E.  H.  Votaw,  W.  A.  Schwimley,  F.  H.  Bohn  and  Charles  Cushman. 
Dedications  in  1876  and  1905. 


328  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

Ankeny:  February  15,  1898.     Joseph  Steele,  1898-1909,  M.  E.  Bachman, 

1909-1911.     Dedicated  November  27,  1898. 
Arion:  June   5,  1903.     A.  W.  McNeal,   A.  E.  Bashford,  J.  H.  Friedline, 

E.  C.  Walcott,  Robert  Rigsby,  C.  E.  Walsh  and  E.  D.  Calkins.     Dedi- 
cation December  18,  1904. 

Ashton:  March  2,  1899.  W.  L.  Brintnall  supplied  for  a  year;  church  soon 
after  disbanded. 

Atlantic:  April  10,  1869.  E.  S.  Hill,  1869-1905,  A.  S.  Henderson,  1905- 
1910,  H.  O.  Spellman  1910—.  Dedications  August  15,  1869  and  Decem- 
ber 15,  1889. 

Aurelia:  April  22.  1883.  J.  B.  Chase,  D.  E.  Skinner,  J.  W.  Taylor,  Charles 
Wyatt,  Geo.  H.  Smith,  B.  L.  Webber,  G.  E.  Stump,  Richard  Watt, 
S.  J.  Huffman,  C.  H.  Moxie.     Dedications  November  30,  1884  and  May 

•    12,  1907. 

Avoca;  June  12,  1870.  C.  D.  Wright,  George  Hindley,  Joel  Sabin,  G.  G. 
Perkins,  John  Gray,  D.  M.  Hartsough,  J.  H.  Skiles,  W.  E.  Reed, 
J.  W.  Clark,  A.  T.  Irvine,  J.  B.  WilUams,  J.  M.  Blanchard,  C.  E.  Cush- 
man,  C.  T.  Halbert,  J.  M.  Turner,  C.  T.  Shaw,  C.  H.  Moxie  and  J.  E. 
Grinnell.     Dedication  spring  of  1875. 

Avoca  German:  February  10,  1891.  John  Shearer,  John  Single,  Jacob 
Morach,  F.  Satler  and  F.  Worth.     Dedication  August  5,  1894. 

Bartlett:  Juno  30,  1867.  F.  M.  Piatt,  pastor.  Yoked  with  Pacific.  Sur- 
vived only  two  or  three  years. 

Bassett:  June  1,  1890.     Yoked  with  Ionia.     Dedication  August  9,   1891. 

Baxter:  November  15,  1885.  Thomas  Merrill,  W.  W.  Hazen,  W.  L. 
Brandt,  J.  P.  Dyas,  G.  L.  ShuU,  C.  E.  Tower,  J.  M.  Cummings,  E.  R. 
McCorkle,  M.  C.  Haecker,  J.  R.  Beard,  B.  C.  Tillett,  L.  D.  Blanford 
and  S.  E.  Long.     Dedications  July  11,  1886  and  October  14,  1900. 

Beacon:  January  2,  1874.  C.  D.  Jones,  I.  C.  Hughes,  I.  M.  Jones,  James 
Harrison,  C.  W.  Evans. 

Bear  Grove:  March  22,  1874.  A.  A.  Whitmore,  Charles  Little,  J.  H. 
Skiles,  A.  Clark,  B.  Mather,  R.  W.  Harris,  B.  F.  Meyer,  W.  D.  King, 

F.  T.  Lansborough,  James  Kirkwood,  B.  J.  Rhodes  and  G.  H.  Rawson. 
Bedford:  February  7,  1883.     Had  only  two  years  of  life.     G.  S.  Bradly, 

pastor  1883-1884. 
Belle  Plaine:  July  31,  1866.    S.  P.  La  Due,  D.  Lane,  J.  Wadhams,  M.  Mes- 

mer,  A.  E.  Everest,  O.  C.  Dickerson,  W.  H.  Ambrose,  A.  F.  Loomis, 

C.  H.  Bissell,  Robert  Stapleton,  A.  H.  Sedgewick,  F.  E.  Drake,  R.  S. 

Osgood  and  F.  C.  Henry.     Dedications,  May,  1870  and  February  25, 

1906. 
Belmond:  March  3,  1867.    P.  Harrison,  E.  C.  Miles,  J.  D.  Sands,  1869- 

1903  and  Emeritus  until  death  in  1909,  A.  L.  Dimtou,  W.  U.  Parks  and 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   A   NUTSHELL  329 

Paul  W.  Jones.     Dedications  December  31,  1882  and  November  12, 

1905. 
Bellvue :  July  10,  1847.     Occasional  supplies  before  organization:     Aratus 

Kent,  O.  Emerson,  J.  C.  Holbrook,  W.  Salter  and  William  Keith. 

Pastors,  W.  L.  Coleman,  1847-1856,  T.  H.  Canfield,  E.  Clark,  L.  Jones, 

E.  P.  Whiting,  J.  Oilman,  WiUiam  Chappie,  D.  M.  Breckenridge,  W. 

H.  Klose,  O.  W.  Sargent,  J.  M.  Turner,  D.  W.  Blakely,  E.  P.  Crane 

and  C.  A.  Chambers. 
Bentonsport:  May  14,  1843.     E.  Ripley,  A.  B.  Dilly,  O.  French,  H.  H. 

Hayes,  J.  D.  Sands,  Harvey  Adams  and  Asa  Farwell,  1844-1871.    Only 

occasional  services  since  1871. 
Berlin:  February  22,  1806.     Yoked  with  Dinsdale.     Dedication,  January 

10,   1904. 
Berwick:  July  13,  1886.     Developed  from  a  Union  church.     C.  E.  Blod- 

gett,  M.  D.  Archer,  W.  R.  Griffith,  Joseph  Steele.  E.  C.  Chevis,  N.  H. 

May,  T.  B.  Couchman,  and  E.  A.  EUiott.     Inherited  church  building; 

improved  and  rededicated  November  4,  1906. 
Beulah:  March  5,  1900.     Yoked  with  Madison  County  First. 
Bethel,  Clay   Co.:  July   25,    1886.     Yoked    with   Peterson.     Dedicated, 

November  7,  1886.     Disbanded  1904. 
Bethel,  Clayton  Co. :  January  22,  1905.     Came  from  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian.    Yoked  with  Colesburg. 
Bethel,  Cerro  Gordo  Co. :  1889.    Yoked  with  Clear  Lake.    Disbanded,  1897. 
Big  Rock:  May  23,  1856.     O.  Emerson,  J.  R.  Upton,  O.  Littlefield,  S.  N. 

Grant,  George  Smith,  A.  W.  Allen,  George  Ritchie,  R.  Apthorp,  W.  L. 

Coleman,  A.  Graves,  I.  N.  Tomes,  A.  S.  Willoughby,  Q.  C.  Todd, 

Charles  Wyatt,  F.  D.  Adams,  L.  R.  Fitch,  N.  W.  Wehrhan,  L.  Coylin 

and  F.  S.  Perry. 
Black  Hawk:  January  16,  1862.     Yoked  with  Fairfield.     No  pastor  after 

1877.     Disbanded  1886. 
Blencoe:  March  23,  1877.     C.  N.  Lyman,  1877-1891,  P.  B.  West,  W.  G. 

Little,  A.  G.  Washington,  W.  E.  Sauerman,  C.  A.  Burdick  and  F.  S. 

Perry.     Mostly  supplied  from  Onawa. 
Blairsburg:  August  1,  1891.     From  Wesleyan  Methodists.    H.  Paul  Doug- 
lass, summer  of  1891.     T.  G.  Lewis,  Julius  Marks,  A.  W.  Moore,  B.  F. 

Myers,  C.  T.  Halbert,  B.  J.  Rhodes  and  G.  A.  Putnam.     Dedication, 

December  27,  1896. 
Bloomfield:  November  21,  1870.     Thomas  Merrill,  J.  W.  Horner,  Thomas 

Baskerville.     Disbanded,  1885. 
Bondurant:  December  4,  1891.     H.  H.  Long,  H.  W.  Rose,  G.  W.  Tingle, 

B.  C.  Tillett,  G.  O.  Long,  H.  C,  Rosenberger,     Dedication,  January 

28,  1894, 


330  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Boonsboro:  January  7,  1866.  O.  C.  Dickerson,  1865-1870  and  1876-1879. 
Others,  A.  H.  Post,  and  J.  W.  White.     Disbanded  in  1884. 

Bowen's  Prairie:  March  23,  1853.  Thomas  H.  Canfield,  C.  S.  Cady,  M.  C. 
Searle,  Isaac  Russell,  H.  S.  Thompson,  J.  T.  Clossen  and  Harvey  Adams. 
No  pastor  after  1882.     Disbanded  1893. 

Bradford:  November  4,  1855.  O.  Littlefield,  J.  C.  Strong,  J.  K.  Nutting, 
R.  J.  WilHams,  A.  Graves,  L.  D.  Boynton;  occasional  supplies  from 
Nashua  since  1877.  Sunday  School  kept  up.  Dedication,  December 
29,  1864. 

Brighton:  May  31,  1841.  Charles  Burnham,  F.  A.  Armstrong,  B.  Rob- 
erts, J.  E.  McMurray,  L.  R.  White,  S.  Hemminway,  Gordon  Hayes, 
T.  N.  Skinner,  T.  H.  Holmes,  James  Barnett,  M.  M.  Thompson,  Francis 
Lawson,  H.  A.  Risser,  E.  P.  Crane.     Disbanded  in  1894. 

Britt:  December  26,  1879.  R.  R.  Wood,  Benjamin  St.  John,  F.  M.  Cooley, 
H.  N.  Laurence,  Q.  C.  Todd,  W.  R.  Stewart,  J.  C.  Stoddard,  F.  G. 
Wilcox,  C.  G.  Marshall  and  B.  Greenaway.  Dedications  (first  date 
lost)  and  November  24,  1895. 

Britt  Scand.:  December  4,  1891.  C.  O.  Torgeson,  JuHus  Bing,  F.  O. 
Anderson,  Hans  Brooks,  Jens  H.  Pedersen  and  Chas.  E.  Nelson.  Dedi- 
cation March  15,  1896. 

Brookfield,  Clinton  Co.:  February  7,  1858.  W.  A.  Keith,  C.  S.  Cady, 
1857-1868  and  then  disappears. 

Burr  Oak,  Winnesheik  Co.:  March  10,  1850.  George  Bent,  1860-1870, 
C.  A.  Marshall,  H.  B.  Lamb  and  C.  W.  Wiley,  the  last  pastor,  closing 
in  1879.     Disbands  1885.     Dedication,  January  1864. 

Buckeye:  November  19,  1893.  Yoked  with  Alden.  C.  N.  Lyman,  1893- 
1898.  Later  J.  B.  Bickford  and  A.  G.  Axtell  and  other  supplies.  Dedi- 
cation November  19,  1893. 

Buffalo  Grove:  October  11,  1857.  L  Russell,  G.  Gemmel,  William  Spell, 
and  W.  L.  Brintnall,  1857-1870.  Reorganized  as  the  Buffalo  Church, 
May  1,  1870.  Brintnall,  pastor,  1870-1873,  1875-1878,  1879-1883. 
No  report  after  1883. 

Buffalo  Center:  September  18,  1892.  H.  N.  Lawrence,  Abi  L.  Nutting, 
N.  L.  Packard,  A.  W.  McNeal,  C.  B.  Olds,  I.  K.  Bickford  and  F.  C. 
Gonzales.     Dedicated  June  18,  1893. 

Burdette :  December  26,  1894.  Yoked  one  year  with  Alden  and  then  with 
Popejoy. 

Burlington:  December  26,  1894.  Various  supplies  1838-1843.  Pastors 
for  sixty-seven  years  only  Horace  Hutchinson  and  William  Salter. 
Associate  pastors,  1882-1910,  William  Buss,  G.  D.  Herron,  F.  N. 
White,  R.  L.  Marsh  and  Nathan  Osborne.  Dedications,  December 
29, 1846,  December  25, 1870  and  November  18,  1900. 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   A   NUTSHELL  331 

Carnforth:  December  1,  1895.     Yoked  with  Victor.     Dedicated  Dec.  31, 

1S99. 
Carroll:  November  26,  1872.     N.  D.  Porter  and  G.  W.  Palmer,  1874- 

1877.     Church  survived  only  five  years. 
Cass:  June  14,  1856.     S.  P.  La  Due,  S.  A.  Benton,  C.  S.  Cady,  B.  Roberts, 

D.  Savage,  C.  C.  Humphrey,  W.  W.  Hayward,  W.  H.  Barrows,  James 
Mitchell,  George  Ritchie,  M.  Amsden,  D.  N.  Bordwell,  A.  B.  Keeler, 
H.  M.  Pinkerton,  George  Brimacombe  and  W.  R.  Bundy.  House 
erected  in  1860. 

Cascade:  January  28,  1844.     E.  B.  Turner  and  Robert  Stuart,  1843-1852. 

Disbanded   in    1859. 
Casey:  July  12,  1871.     A.  A.  Whitmore  for  two  years.     Disbanded,  1880. 
Castana:  August  14,  1886.     C.  N.  Lyman,  S.  D.  Horine,  J.  M.  Turner, 

F.  C.  Lewis,  J.  E.  Grinnell,  James  Holden.     United  with  other  Castana 

churches  since  1907.     Dedication,  January  23,  1887. 
Castleville:  May,  1891.     Yoked  with  Winthrop.     Dedicated  October  11, 

1891. 
Cedar  Falls:  July  8,  1860.     L.  B.  Fifield,  1860-1870.     Charles  Gibbs,  1870, 

1887,  S.  J.  Beach,  1887-1897;  J.  E.  Snowden,  1897-1910  and  E.  E.  Day. 

First  church  purchased    from    the    Methodists;    Second    dedication, 

July  8,  1889. 
Ceda    Rapids  First:     First  organization  from  1857-1867.     Supplied    in 

part  from  Marion.     Present  church  organized  May  15,  1879.     A.  T. 

Reed,  S.  J.  Rogers,  E.  E.  P.  Abbott,  E.  M.  Vittum,  G.  R.  Dickinson, 

E.  A.  Berry,  J.  P.  Huget  and  Wilson  Denney.  Buildings  dedicated 
February  10,  1881  and  November  14,  1889. 

Cedar  Rapids  Bethany:  June  5,  1893.  Supplied  as  a  mission  before  organ- 
ization, C.  H.  Morse,  S.  J.  Malone  and  C.  E.  McKinlcy.  Pastors, 
L.  W.  W.nslow,  J.  B.  Gonzales,  W.  J.  Warner,  W.  Altvater,  Vinton  Lee 
and  B.  H.  Morse.     Dedication,  July  23,  1905. 

Center:  Ju'y  2,  1882.     Yoked  with  Manson.     Dedication,  August  8,  1897. 

Centerdale:  November  4,  1903.  J.  W.  Holoway,  R.  E.  Roberts,  J.  J. 
Hales,  W.  T.  Seeley  and  H.  H.  HInes.     Dedicated,  April  1,  1906. 

Center  Point:  May  2,  1873.  Charles  Dane,  G.  C.  Lockridge,  C.  E.  Marsh, 
Will  am  Jones,  M.  S.  Croswell,  Q.  C.  Todd,  J.  S.  Malone  and  W.  G. 
Johnston.     No  pastor  after  1892      Disbanded,  1899. 

Centerville:  December  31,  1898.  Developed  from  a  Free  Mission  Church, 
organized  in  1887.  N.  J.  Bolin,  C.  W.  Peterson,  C.  M.  Anderson  and 
J.  H.  Hanson.     Dedication,  November  25,  1906. 

Central  City:  December  19, 1858.  A.  Manson,  O.  Littlefield,  E.  C.  Downs, 
William  Spell,  E.  D.  Kimball,  E.  E.  Webber,  J.  Alderson,  P.  Litts, 
E.  P.  Crane,  J.  D.  Mason,  J.  T.  Mumford,  D.  D.  Tibbetts,  B.  C.  Tillett, 


332  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

F.  W.  Pease,  E.  R.  McCorkle  and  J.  F.  Smith.  Dedication,  October 
15,  1882. 

Chapin:  November  28,  1858.  W.  P.  Avery,  eighteen  years,  N.  T.  Blakes- 
ley,  A.  D.  Kinzer  of  Hampton  eleven  years,  J.  M.  Turner,  P.  Litts,  W.  A. 
Brintnall,  Philo  Gorton,  N.  E.  Hannant,  A.  J.  Williams,  F.  O.  Wyatt, 
J.  W.  Larkin,  Nelson  Wehrhan,  W.  W.  Tuttle  and  Mrs.  A.  Blandford. 
Dedication,  November  23,  1890. 

Charles  City:  November  31,  1856.  J.  H.  Windsor,  W.  A.  Adams,  D.  N. 
Bordwell,  H.  B.  Woodworth,  .  A.  Cruzan,  J.  Wadhams,  N.  M.  Clute, 
H.  N.  Hoyt,  A.  G.  Brande,  Charles  Noble,  F.  S.  Jun^^,  C.  C.  Otis, 
WiUon  Denney,  1898-1907,  W.  J.  Cady.  Dedications,  January  29, 
1868  and  Ma  ch  11    1911. 

Cherokee:  June  12,  1870.  W.  F.  Rose,  F.  Herd,  F.  M.  Cooly,  J.  B.  Chase, 
Charles  Bissell,  W.  A.  Evans,  W.  L.  Ferris,  1889-1902,  H.  D.  Hunter, 
R.  W.  Purdue  and  E.  S.  Carr.  Dedications,  March  22,  1874  and 
February  25,  1900. 

Chester  Center:  June  25,  1865.     C.  W.  Clapp,  S.  J.  Buck,  G.  F.  Magoun, 

G.  H.  White,  1872-1889,  G.  H.  Sharpley,  W.  H.  Atkinson,  J.  J.  Mitchell, 
J.  K.  Shultz,  James  Rowe,  T.  B.  Couchman,  J.  C.  Jewell  and  H.  L. 
Wissler.     Building  erected  in   1868. 

Cincinnati:  August  19,  1867.  J.  C.  Cooper,  D.  B.  Eells,  W.  W.  Pennell, 
A.  S.  Elliott,  Thomas  Baskerville,  Chas.  S.  Newcomb,  F.  C.  Emerson, 
C.  C.  Humphrey,  John  Croker,  E.  E.  Preston,  F.  C.  Hoover,  W.  E. 
Sauerman,  G.  E.  Crossland,  R.  W.  Hughes,  H.  L.  Wissler  and  A,  G. 
Heddle.     Longest  pastorate  five  years. 

Clay:  July  3,  1842.  Charles  Bumham,  B.  Roberts,  R.  Hunter,  J.  R. 
Kennedy,  T.  H.  Holmes,  1865-1872,  D.  B.  Eells,  H.  P.  Robinson, 
James  Barnett,  W.  Radford,  M.  M.  Thompson,  F.  Lawson,  Charles 
Little,  E.  P.  Crane,  J.  Kidder,  A.  Teuber,  S.  A.  Arnold,  P.  H.  Fisk, 
R.  F.  Lavender,  F.  A.  Zickefoose,  L.  S.  Hand,  E.  H.  Albright,  Church 
erected  1858;  second  dedication,  October  16,  1902. 

Clarion:  November  12,  1872.  J.  D.  Sands,  W.  W.  Mead,  E.  P.  Childs, 
W.  R.  Stewart,  H.  P.  Fisher,  A.  S.  Houston,  E.  Ewell,  S.  J.  Beach  and 
J.  H.  Olmstead.     Buildings  erected  in  1883  and  1900. 

Chickasaw:  January  13,  1892.  Yoked  with  Ionia  and  Bassett.  Dis- 
banded in  1900. 

Clear  Lake,  Hamilton  Co.  Apparently  organized  in  1858.  In  1859  had 
a  pastor,  T.  N.  Skinner,  and  joined  the  Northwestern  Association. 
Disappeared  in  1860. 

Clear  Lake,  Cerro  Gordo  Co.:  September  12,  1870.  Supplies  before 
organization,  T.  Tenney  and  J.  D.  Mason.  Pastors,  A.  S.  Allen,  R.  R. 
Wood,  A.  M.  Case,  D.  A.  Cutler,  J.  D.  Mason,  T,  H,  Guynne,  F,  Q, 


THE   CHURCHES   IN  A  NUTSHELL  333 

Hicks,  F.  E.  Carter,  J.  W.  Hayward,  J.  F.  Moore  and  J.  R.  Henderson. 
Buildings  erected  1877  and  1894. 

Cleveland  First  and  Second,  Welsh  Churches:  Organized  1878  and  1884. 
Soon  died. 

Cliffland:  April,  1896.     Yoked  with  Agency.     Disbanded  1908. 

Climbing  Hill:  1889-1893  the  bounds  of  its  life.     Yoked  with  Oto. 

CUnton:  June  5,  1866.  J.  W.  White,  J.  L.  Ewell,  W.  L.  Bray,  C.  A. 
Marshall,  Wilson  Denney,  F.  L.  Kenyon,  E.  Moore,  J.  M.  Hulburt, 
E.  B.  Dean,  C.  F.  Fisher  and  R.  T.  Jones.    Dedication,  September,  1867. 

College  Springs  (Amity) :  November  12,  1865.  B.  F.  Hoskins,  C.  C.  Hum- 
phrey, D.  R.  Barker,  W.  I.  Phillips,  H.  Avery,  1878-1888,  W.  H.  Hilton, 
I.  O.  Stone,  H.  W.  Mote,  H.  M.  Burr,  A.  R.  Dodd  and  J.  K.  Nutting. 
Dedicated,  October,  1870. 

Colesburg  (Colony) :  December  5,  1846.  E.  B.  Turner,  1846-1856,  J.  B. 
Parlin,  L.  P.  Mathews,  Amos  Jones,  Alexander  Kaye,  C.  E.  Marsh, 
D.  D.  Kidd,  A.  Doremus,  O.  M.  Humphrey,  F.  M.  Tyrell,  E.  M.  Keeler, 
W.  H.  Gifford.  Dedications,  November  3,  1849  and  November  14, 
1875. 

Columbus  City:  October  25,  1846.  A.  L.  Leonard,  David  Knowles,  E.  0. 
Bennett,  D.  E.  Jones,  Robert  Hunter,  F.  Crang,  J.  E.  ElUott.  Dis- 
banded in  1876. 

Conover:  March  23,  1866.  George  Conley  and  Charles  Hancock.  Dis- 
banded in  1869. 

Copper  Creek,  Jackson  Co. :  January  28,  1854.  One  of  Father  Emerson's 
churches.     Supplied  from  Sabula  and  Elk  River.     Disbanded  in  1866. 

Corning:  January  9,  1870.  S.  Barrows,  E.  G.  Carpenter,  Charles  Little, 
S.  J.  Beach,  J.  F.  Toby,  Q.  C.  Todd,  G.  A.  Coleman,  F.  S.  June,  O.  P. 
Champlin,  B.  F.  Barker,  A.  M.  Beaman,  J.  T.  Marvin,  E.  C.  Moulton, 
P.  H.  Mason,  C.  A.  Haskett,  A.  G.  Graves  and  C.  G.  Marshall.  Dedi- 
cations, February  12,  1871  and  March  17,  1901. 

Correctionville:  December  20,  1891.  W.  R.  Smith,  E.  A.  Powell,  J.  B. 
Chase,  R.  F.  Paxton,  J.  T.  Mumford,  Jesse  Povey,  W.  A.  Hanson, 
M.  D.  Smith.     Dedication,  October  15,  1893. 

Council  Bluffs  First:  June  2,  1853.  G.  G.  Rice,  J.  S.  Haskell,  H.  Adams, 
W.  W.  Allen,  J.  B.  Chase,  H.  P.  Roberts,  H.  S.  DeForest,  Cyrus  Hamlin, 
G.  W.  Crofts,  J.  Askins,  J.  W.  Wilson,  James  Thompson  and  O.  O. 
Smith.  First  building,  church  and  parsonage  combined;  second,  log 
cabin;  third,  brick  dedicated  July  6,  1856;  fourth,  dedicated  March  3, 
1870. 

Council  Bluffs,  People's  Church :  April  20, 1903.  J.  P.  Burkhardt,  E.  Potter, 
C.  S.  Hanley. 

Crane  Creek:     1889.     Yoked  with  Ehna,     Disbanded  in  1897. 


334  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Crawfordsville:  April  3,  1842.  Charles  Burnham,  Charles  Granger,  A.  L. 
Leonard,  D.  Knowles,  W.  A.  Westervelt,  E.  O.  Bennett,  W.  Coe,  E.  P. 
Smith,  S.  V.  McDuffee,  L.  S.  Hand,  L.  T.  Rowley,  1872-1882,  D.  P. 
Rathburn.     Dropped  in  1888. 

Cresco:  September,  1856.  former  names:  Vernon  Springs  and  New 
Oregon.  Father  Windsor,  1856-1866  and  1868-1871,  S.  D.  Peet,  E. 
Southworth,  A.  S.  McConnell,  1876-1890,  W.  H.  Kaufman,  James 
Oakey,  J.  H.  Boggess,  O.  H.  Holmes,  1896-1902,  J.  H.  Eakin  and  J.  J. 
Hinman.     Dedications,  November  17,  1861  and  January  21,  1900. 

Creston:  January  28,  1873.  N.  H.  Calhoun,  N.  H.  Whittlesey,  1875-1887, 
A.  J.  Van  Wagner,  D.  P.  Breed,  E.  E.  Fhnt,  F.  J.  Hanscom.  Dedica- 
tions, June  11,  1874  and  September  2,  1888. 

Creston  Pilgrim:  April  18,  1875.  N.  H.  Whittlesey,  W.  C.  Bosworth, 
M.  T.  Ranier,  A.  E.  Mosher,  J.  R.  Beard,  A.  S.  Willoughby,  W.  E. 
Todd,  G.  C.  Jewell,  Wm.  W.  Schumaker,  F.  A.  Hinman  and  George 
Milne. 

Crocker:  November  3,  1901.  Yoked  with  Ankeney,  Joseph  Steele  and 
Polk  City,  J.  H.  Mintier.     Dedicated,  November  22,  1905. 

Crocker  Center:  Organized  in  1886.  Yoked  with  Polk  City,  R.  W. 
Hughes  and  R.  F.  Lavender.     Disbanded,  1889. 

Cromwell,  March  23,  1870.  E.  G.  Carpenter,  Charies  Little,  W.  L.  Bartle, 
C.  O.  Parmeter,  C.  H.  Eaton,  A.  Thompson,  D.  D.  Tibbetts,  R.  W. 
Jamison,  C.  C.  Humphrey,  W.  C.  Hicks,  L.  S.  Kirnen,  J.  T.  Mumford, 
L.  E.  Patten,  J.  B.  Staunton,  E.  R.  McCorkle,  James  Kirkwood.  Dedi- 
cations, December  6,  1876  and  December  11,  1892. 

Danville:  June  30,  1839.  Reuben  Gaylord,  1839-1856,  A.  L.  Leonard, 
E.  P.  Smith,  1868-1878,  J.  D.  Baker,  D.  B.  Davidson,  L.  T.  Rowley, 
1884-1895,  C.  R.  Shatto,  G.  D.  Tangeman,  C.  E.  Drew,  C.  F.  Sheldon 
and  W.  H.  Bickers.     Building  erected  in  1847  and  1868. 

Davenport  First:  July  30,  1839.  J.  P.  Stewart,  O.  Emerson,  A.  B.  Hitch- 
cock, E.  Adams,  1844-1855,  G.  F.  Magoun.  Reorganized  as  Ed- 
wards Church  August  16,  1871.  WilUam  Windsor,  J.  A.  Hamilton, 
J.  G.  Merrill,  1872-1882,  M.  L.  Williston,  A.  W.  Archibald,  B.  F.  Boiler, 
G.  S.  RoUins,  1894-1903,  C.  A.  Moore  and  W.  J.  Suckow.  Dedicated, 
October  27,  1841.  Edwards  dedicated  December  26,  1873  and  Sunday 
School  annex,  November  4,  1900. 

Davenport  German:  February  19,  1857.  A.  Frowein,  H.  Langpaap,  J.  F. 
Graff,  1864-1873,  Jacob  Reuth,  F.  W.  Judeisch,  1874-1888,  Carl 
Hess,  A.  K.  Resner,  A.  T.  Hertel,  C.  F.  Finger,  PhiUp  Schmidt,  B.  R. 
Bauman,  John  Strohecker  and  William  Loos.  Dedicated,  December 
21,  1902.  United  with  Bethlehem  in  Berea  Church,  R.  K.  Atkinson, 
pastor  in  1909. 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   A   NUTSHELL  335 

Davenport  Bethlehem,  Mission  of  Edwards:  organized  February  4,  1894. 
Services  held  by  pastors  of  German  Church,  1888-1894.  Pastors 
after  1894,  Andrew  Orth,  T.  O.  Douglass,  Jr.,  S.  H.  Seccombe,  J.  H. 
Wilson  and  R.  K.  Atkinson.  Merged  with  the  German  Church  into 
Berea,   1909. 

Davenport  Berea:     1909.     R.  K.  Atkinson,  pastor. 

Decorah:  June  25,  1854.  William  Keith,  E.  Adams,  1857-1872,  H.  B. 
Woodworth,  Jesse  Taintor,  John  Willard,  J.  B.  Bidwell,  D.  L.  HiUiard 
and  since  1896,  Mahlon  Wilhtt.  Dedicated,  November  17,  1861  and 
February  16,  1896. 

Denmark:  May  5,  1838.  First  Congregational  Church  in  Iowa.  Asa 
Turner,  1838-1868,  E.  Y.  Swift,  1868-1882,  W.  E.  DeReimer,  Charles 
Hancock,  A.  K.  Fox,  H.  L.  Marsh,  F.  E.  Kenyon,  E.  EweU,  J.  M. 
Cumings,  1901-1910.  Houses  of  worship  erected  1838,  1846  and 
1864. 

Des  Moines  Plymouth:  December  7,  1857.  J.  T.  Cook,  J.  M.  Chamber- 
lain, H.  S.  DeForest,  A.  L.  Frisbie,  1871-1898  and  still  Emeritus, 
F.  J.  VanHorn,  F.  W.  Hodgdon,  1903-1911.  Buildings,  1858,  1877 
and  1902. 

Des  Moines  Moriah:  1878.  Welsh  pastors,  J.  T.  Owens,  1879-1881;  no 
further  record  until  1890.  English  pastors,  W.  A.  Black,  Virgil  Hill, 
R.  C.  Moulton,  Joseph  WiUiams  and  Miss  Elverda  Pugh. 

Des  Moines  Pilgrim:  July  2,  1883.  S.  S.  Grinnell,  A.  W.  Safford,  A.  D. 
Kinzer,  C.  Douglass,  J.  F.  Fetterholf,  J.  B.  Losey  and  Arthur  Metcalf. 
Dedications,  December  14,  1884  and  October  6,  1889. 

Des  Moines  North  Park:  January  5,  1885.  B.  St.  John,  1884-1898,  J.  S. 
Colby,  John  Comin,  F.  W.  Stephens,  T.  O.  Douglass,  Jr.  Dedica- 
tion, September  16,   1888. 

Des  Moines  German:  October  20,  1892.  Jacob  Henn,  Otto  Gerhardt, 
J.  P.  Wilhelme,  J.  H.  Kramer.  Dedication,  October,  1  1893.  Dis- 
banded in  1904. 

Des  Moines  Greenwood:  June  13,  1898.  C.  C.  Harrah,  D.  B.  Spencer, 
W.  C.  Stone,  F.  G.  Beardsley,  H.  C.  Rosenberger  and  J.  P.  Burling. 
Dedication,  December  4,  1898. 

Des  Moines  Union:  December  18,  1903.  H.  W.  Porter  and  J  P.  Sims. 
Dedicated,  December  20,  1908. 

DeWitt:  July  10,  1842.  O.  Emerson,  S.  J.  Francis,  S.  J.  Mowrey,  J.  Van 
Anthwerp,  1857-1871,  Rufus  Apthorp,  E.  P  Whiting,  J.  W.  Hubbard, 
Jesse  Taintor,  C.  H.  Cook,  D.  S.  Jenkins,  William  Chappie,  F.  H.  York, 
E.  P.  Crane,  C.  E.  Sinclair,  A.  W.  Depew,  T.  R.  EweU,  F  A.  Dean, 
J.  J.  Mitchell  and  Wilham  Gardner.  Church  buildings  erected  in  1853, 
1865  and  1888. 


336  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

Dickens:  October  14,  1894.     Jesse  C.  George,  A.  J.  Benton,  C.  G.  Marshall, 

C  W.  Anthony,  C.  G.  Oxley,  J.  T.  Steele,  C.  S.  Marsolf.     Dedication, 

September  8,  1895. 
Dinsdale:  July  13,  1891.     Robert  Munby,  A.  W.  McNeal,  F.  E.  Matlock, 

P.  Litts,  W.  R.  Bundy  and  J.  L.  Martin.     Dedication,  December  20, 

1891. 
Doon:  December  10,  1889.     L.  R.  Fitch,  Charles  Wyatt,  H.  W.  Mercer, 

H.  W.  Jones,  W.  L.  Brandt,  S.  A.  Wheelwright,  W.  W.  Hartsough, 

D.  E.  Skinner,  W.  J.  Watt,  C.  F.  Shaw,  J.  H.  Barnett  and  F.  H.  Rich- 
ardson.    Dedicated,  February,  1900. 

Dubuque  First;  May  12,  1839.  Prospectors,  Cyrus  L.  Watson,  J.  A. 
Clarke,  Z.  K.  Hawley  and  Mr.  Townsend.  Pastors,  J.  C.  Holbrook, 
1842-1853  and  1855-1863,  Jesse  Guernsey,  L.  Whiting,  J.  Bingham, 
C.  E.  Harrington,  C.  O.  Brown,  F.  E.  Hopkins,  F.  G.  Smith,  G.  L.  Cady, 
F.  M.  Sheldon  and  H.  F.  Milligan.  Buildings  completed  in  1836,  1839, 
1846  and  1860. 

Dubuque  German:  December  23,  1847.  Peter  Fleury,  J.  B.  Madoulet, 
A.  Van  Vleet.     Presbyterianized  in  1853. 

Dubuque  Immanuel:  April  25,  1868.  Hermann  Ficke,  1868-1911,  the 
only  pastor.     Dedicated,  October  14,  1888. 

Dubuque  Summit:  November  20,  1890.  Thos.  R.  McRoberts,  M.  Bar- 
rett, G  M.  Orvis,  1894-1911.  Dedication,  November  17,  1889  and 
June  19,  1898. 

Dunlap  (Harrison) :  May  8,  1859.  Supphed  from  MagnoUa,  1859-1866. 
J.  B.  Lowrey,  H.  Freeman,  C.  N.  Ljmaan,  D.  McDermid,  J.  Copeland, 
H.  S.  Mills,  A.  Rogers,  J.  M.  Cunaings,  WiUiam  Carson,  J.  P.  Clyde, 

E.  Kent,  R.  D.  Douglass  and  J.  H.  Armstrong.     Dedications,  1868  and 
1876. 

Durango:  February  14,  1848.  J.  W.  Windsor,  H.  N.  Gates,  J.  R.  Upton, 
L  N.  Williams,  L.  Jones,  A.  Wright,  F.  Fawkes,  William  Spell,  Wilham 
Glover.  Since  1889,  pastors  of  the  German  Church  at  Sherrill  have 
supphed,  preaching  in  English.     Dedicated,  June  23,  1907. 

Durant:  May  25,  1856.  J.  S.  Whittlesey,  E.  Ripley,  H.  Bullen,  E.  E. 
Webber,  E.  P.  Whiting,  Thomas  Douglass,  E.  P.  Smith,  F.  Lawson  and 
A.  K.  Resner.  Property  turned  over  to  the  Episcopal  Church  in  1896. 
Church  building  erected  in  1856. 

Dyersville:  1859.  W.  H.  Hu  de  Bourch,  H.  L.  Chase,  Charles  Hancock, 
W.  B.  Glover  and  Amos  Jones.  Beautiful  house  dedicated  November 
16,  1864.     Disbanded,  1886. 

Eagle  Grove:  October  15,  1881.  Father  Sands  in  early  seventies.  N.  L. 
Burton,  M.  T.  Rainier,  W.  W.  Mead,  S.  R.  Wells,  I.  N.  Tomes,  F. 
Elliott,  C.  R.  Bruce,  G.  L.  Shull,  W.  Radford,  N.  F.  Douglass,  F.  E. 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   A   NUTSHELL  337 

Drake,  T.  O.  Douglass,  Jr.,  L.  B.  Hix,  F.  E.  York.     Dedications,  Octo- 
ber 28,  1883  and  February  9,  1896. 

Earlville:  February  6,  1859.  H.  N.  Gates,  A.  T.  Loring,  H.  E.  Boardman, 
W.  M.  Brooks,  J.  M.  Bowers,  J.  R.  Barnes,  Thomas  Kent,  L.  W. 
Winslow,  D.  M.  Ogilvie,  D.  L.  Milliard,  D.  W.  Blakesley,  R.  F.  Paxton, 
J.  C.  Stoddard,  A.  B.  Keeler,  W.  A.  Alcorn  and  A.  E.  Pauley.  Build- 
ings completed  1866  and  1887. 

Eddyville:  January  31,  1845.  B.  A.  Spaulding,  1844-1847,  G.  B.  Hitch- 
,  cock,  1847-1854,  J.  T.  Cook,  A.  D.  French,  Daniel  Lane,  William 
Windsor,  J.  M.  Chamberlain,  A.  Dutton,  M.  Rowley,  Thomas  Merrill, 
R.  Hassell,  J.  H.  Rockwell,  I.  N.  Tomes,  L.  S.  Hand,  H.  S.  McCowan, 
R.  W.  Hughes,  J.  W.  Buck,  C.  W.  Hempstead,  Lucy  W.  Carter  and 
G.  A.  Hood.     Dedication,  April  7,  1864. 

Edgewood:  See  Yankee  Settlement. 

Eldon:  April  19,  1880.  Benjamin  St.  John,  J.  E.  Emerson,  W.  M.  Brooks, 
William  Holyoke,  W.  A.  Black,  E.  E.  Willey,  J.  S.  Hodges,  WilUam 
Jones,  J.  A.  Miller,  George  Marsh,  J.  R.  Kaye,  P.  M.  France,  E.  S. 
McClure,  D.  M.  Reed  and  J.  H.  Skiles.  Dedication,  December  8, 
1880. 

Eldora:  January  21,  1868.  Father  Emerson  explored  the  field  in  1856. 
C.  F.  Boynton,  A.  Graves,  A.  A.  Baker,  J.  R.  Barnes,  J.  R.  Knodell, 
E.  Adams,  1883-1889,  E.  Kent,  1889-1898,  J.  P.  Clyde,  C.  C.  Warner 
and  W.  G.  Ramsey.     Buildings  completed  in  1869,  1875  and  1894. 

Elliott:  August  3,  1881.  M.  P.  Dickey,  E.  E.  Webster,  R.  W.  Jamison, 
C.  S.  Hamilton,  A.  C.  Crawford,  R.  W  Harris,  R.  W.  Brooks,  F.  C. 
Lewis,  B.  F.  Myers  and  Owen  Thomas. 

Ellsworth:  November  18,  1902.  George  R.  Chambers,  E.  P.  Crane,  A.  A. 
Wood,  F.  Merrithew  A.  W   Ricker.     Dedication,  December  20,  1903. 

Elkader:  A  church  organized  March,  1855.  Never  had  a  regular  pastor; 
few  supplies;  lived  ten  years.  Reorganized  August  5,  1894.  F.  L. 
Fisk.  G.  W.  Baxter,  A.  S.  Hock,  J.  G.  Dickey  and  M.  L.  Stimson, 
Dedication,  June  20,  1897. 

Elk:  November  19,  1886.  Yoked  with  Edgewood.  Survived  only  five 
or  six  years. 

Elk  Creek,  Jasper  Co.:  Little  country  church,  supplied  for  two  or  three 
years  by  Maurice  Carey.     Soon  disappeared. 

Elk  River:  December  1,  1854.  Emerson  appointment  here  as  early  as 
1848;  never  a  resident  pastor.  Supplied  by  O.  Emerson,  L.  Parker, 
George  Butterfield,  O.  Littlefield  and  others.     Dedication,  1855. 

Elma:  May  13,  1887.     Eh  Beers,  B.  F.  Paul,  L.  A.  Brink,  V.  F.  Brown, 
James  Rowe,  L.  E.  Potter,  E.  H.  H.  Holman,  O.  L.  McCleery,  J.  C. 
Warner  and  F.  E.  Cain.     Dedication,  June  29,  1890. 
23 


338  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Emmetsburg:  October  20, 1872.     W.  L.  Coleman,  S.  G.  Fisher,  J.  M.  Cum- 

ings,  G.  M.  Spencer,  O.  P.  Champlain,  E.  P  Crane,  T.  F.  Bowen,  H.  M. 

Case,   G.  L.  Kent,  A.  P.  Solandt,  Glen  A.  Taylor,  O.  Lambly   and 

J.  E.  Brereton.      Dedications,  January  12,  1881   and   February    14, 

1897. 
Exira:  April  9,  1859.     O.  Cummings,  G.  B.  Hitchcock,  E.  S.  Hill,  C.  D. 

Wright,  J.  S.  Toft,  A.  G.  R.  Smith,  W.  B.  Smock,  R.  M.  Burgess,  J.  M. 

Cxmiings,  J.  A.  Hallock,  A.  W.  Thompson,  D.  M.  Hartsough,  Q.  C. 

Todd,  G.  P.  Eastman,  J.  F.  Roberts,  M.  D.  Reed,  H.  L.  Wissler,  E.  H, 

Votaw,  W.  W.  Hartsough   and    F.  H.  Richarsdon.     Dedication,  July 

16,  1871. 
Fairfax:  July  11,  1863.     O.  French,  E.  P.  Ivimball,  H.  Freeman,  D.  J. 

Jones,  Harvey  Adams,  C.  H.  Rogers,  D.  D.  Frost,  Amos  Jones,  R. 

Hassell,  W.  H.  Kaufman,  C.  H.  Morse,  A.  Pyner,  L.  W.  Brintnall, 

A.  A.  Baker,  Abbie  R.  Hinckley  and  C.  P.  Martin. 

Fairfield:  December  21,  1839.  J.  A.  Reed,  1840-1845,  William  Thompson, 
G.  G.  Rice,  C.  H.  Gates,  Reed  Wilkinson,  J.  M.  Williams,  Thomas 
Merrill,  C.  C.  Burnett,  R.  M.  Thompson,  J.  W.  Haven,  M.  E.  Dwight, 
1879-1888,  A.  E.  Arnold,  H.  L.  Marsh,  A.  F.  Marsh,  C.  L.  Snowden, 
H.  O.  Spellman,  Pearse  Pinch  and  A.  G.  Graves.  Erected  1842,  1852 
and   1885. 

Farmington:  January  4,  1840.  Harvey  Adams,  1843-1860  and  1862- 
1866,  twenty-one  years,  A.  K.  Mitchell,  D.  B.  Eells,  J.  Cross,  F.  Bangs; 
pastorless  1877-1893,  A.  J.  Belknap,  A.  W.  Wiggins,  C.  W.  Anthony, 
J.  K.  Nutting,  N.  P.  Olmstead,  J.  E.  Ball.  Dedication,  January  25, 
1848.     Still  in  use. 

Farmersburg:  November,  1845.  J.  R.  Upton,  M.  M.  Wakeman,  E.  C. 
Downs,  Joel  Battey,  W.  S.  Potwin.     Disbanded,  1884. 

Farmersburg  German:  September  3,  1853.     C.  V.  Hess  and  J.  Killan. 

Fayette:  December  1,  1855.  S.  D.  Helms,  1855-1858,  1860-1861,  1870- 
1871,  T.  N.  Skinner,  J.  J.  Hill,  J.  F.  Classon,  W.  S.  Potwin,  E.  C. 
Moulton,  J.  R.  Barnes,  L.  W.  Winslow,  N.  W.  Scarrett,  Robert  Mumby, 
J.  E.  Snowden,  D.  O.  Bean,  H.  Wyckoff,  Benjamin  St.  John,  W.  H. 
Klose,  F.  W.  Weatherwax  and  A.  J.  Benton.  Dedication  in  1870 
and   1895. 

Farnhamville:  April  17,  1879.  Yoked  with  Gowrie,  1879-1898.  After 
1898  J.  A.  Holmes,  Philo  Gorton,  A.  G.  Washington,  D.  G.  Youker, 

B.  W.  Northrop.     Dedication,  May  15.  1883. 

Farragut:  October  3,  1875.  C.  H.  Eaton,  S.  J.  Beach,  1878-1887,  G.  D. 
Stouffer,  J.  H.  Skiles,  1891-1904,  A.  A.  Cressman,  B.  C.  Marsh,  J.  M. 
Cumings.  Dedication,  September  18,  1881.  G.  W.  Perkins,  Sunday 
School  Superintendent  1875-1893;  W.  B.  Clark,  1893-1910. 


THE  CHURCHES  IN  A  NUTSHELL  339 

Fellowship,  Madison  Co.:  June,  1901.    Yoked  with  Madison  Co.     First 

Dedication,  August  21,  1904. 
Flaglers:  Born  June  30,  1889;  died  the  next  day. 
FUnt  Creek  Welsh:  April  1,  1851.     T.  W.  Evans,  1856-1871,  R.  T.  Evans 

and  S.  A.  Fuller.     No  report  after  1881. 
Florence:  December  1,  1850.     Supplied  by  John  Todd  1850-1853.     Town 

washed  into  the  Missouri  river. 
Floyd:  June  19,  1859.     Supplied  short  time  by  William  Windsor  of  Charles 

City.     Dropped  in  1862. 
Fontanelle:  July  20,  1859.     Joseph  Mather,  I.  S.  Davis,  A.  V,  House, 

J.  W.  Peet,  1867-1875,  Charles  Merwin,  A.  W.  Archibald,  H.  S.  Fish, 

G.  W.  Dungan,  P.  R.  Adams,  T.  S.  Bradley,  J.  L.  Pierson,  D.  M.  Mc- 

Dermid,  Emma  K.  Henry,  J.  G.  Aikman,  C.  B.  Taylor,  J.  W.  Kelley, 

H.  J.  Wilkins,  George  Milne  and  D.  H.  Howrey.     Dedication,  June  4, 

1871  and  December  9,  1900. 
Fort  Atkinson:  November,  1857.     Joseph  Hurlbut,  sixteen  years.     1857- 

1873.     Disbanded  in  1879. 
Fort  Atkinson  German:  June  19,  1867.     Henry  Hess,  1867-1893,  W.  H. 

Dorn,  Carl  Zumstein,  F.  J.  Thiel,  Andrew  Kern,  Emil  Warkenstein, 

Herman  Eiserer,  E.  VonTromwasky.     Dedication,  June  29,  1867. 
Fort  Dodge:  February  29,  1856.     T.   N.  Skinner,  Charles  F.  Boynton, 

Wilham  Kent,   David  Wirt,  WiUiam  A.   Patten,   Thomas  Douglass, 

D.  M.  Breckenridge,  L.  L.  West,  E.  S.  Carr,  E.  R.  Latham,  H.  D. 

Wiard,  W.  J.  Suckow,  R.  L.  Breed  and  Nelson  Wehrhan.     Dedications, 

January  24,  1870  and  December  19,  1886. 
Forest  City:  September  29,  1871.     A.  S.  Allen,  1869-1876.     J.  D.  Mason, 

eighteen  years,  C.  F.  Dykeman,  Abbie  R.  Hinckley,  W.  B.  Sanford, 

W.  A.  Evans,  D.  W.  McSkimming,  J.  T.  Walker  and  F.  E.  Henry. 

Dedicated  January  20,  1878. 
Fostoria:  Organized  in  1902.     Supplied  from  Milford.     Survived  only  a 

few  months. 
Frankhn:  July  24,  1858.     C.  H.  Gates,  J.  C.  Cooper,  0.  French,  D.  B. 

Eells,  F.  W.  Crang,  P.  B.  West,  Bennett  Roberts,  J.  E.  Morse,  Thomas 

Merrill,  C.  E.  Marsh,  A.  Risser,  E.  P.  Crane,  S.  A.  Wheelwright,  A.  C. 

Teuber  and  S.  A.  Arnold.     Dropped  1903. 
Gait:     December  9,   1883.     W.  F.  Harvey,   1883-1889,   S.  A.   Martin, 

1890-1898,  W.  T.  Seeley,  Vinton  Lee,  P.  H.  Fisk,  J.  L.  Martin  and  Jos. 

Davies.     Dedication,  December  13,  1891. 
Garden  Prairie:  February  7,  1870.     A.  A.  Baker,  C.  O.  Parmenter,  O.  C. 

Dickerson,  S.  A.  Arnold,  1881-1887,  C.  E.  Marsh,  H.  E.  Warner,  B.  C. 

Tillett,  J.  C.  Stoddard,  A.  W.  McNeal,  C.  H.  Stevenson,  J.  E.  GrinneU, 

H.  J.  Taylor. 


340  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Gaxnavillo  (Jacksonville):  August  1,  1844.  J.  J.  Hill,  1844-1850,  0. 
Littlefield,  L.  P.  Mathews,  1855-1863,  G.  M.  Porter,  B.  A.  Dean,  B. 
Kings,  E.  C.  Downs,  Joel  Battey  and  W.  S.  Potwin.  Dedication, 
December  5,  1847  and  June  23,  1867.  No  pastor  after  1884.  Dis- 
banded in  1888.  Church  building  standing.  Used  for  neighborhood 
Sunday  School  and  occasional  services. 

Garner:  September  1,  1891.  C.  E.  Sinclair,  F.  L.  Fisk,  S.  Simpson,  N.  F. 
Douglass,  J.  B.  Mather,  F.  L.  Hanscom,  B.  F.  Myers,  F.  E.  Henry, 
I.  Toms  and  W.  E.  Sauerman.     Dedication,  October  7,  1894. 

Gaza:  February  5,  1897.     Abi  L.  Nutting,  J.  F.  Lansborough,  F.  C.  Lewis, 

E.  T.  Briggs,  E.  H.  Albright  and  Mary  P.  Wright.  Dedication,  Novem- 
ber 8,  1896. 

Gem  Point:  March  19,  1889.  Yoked  with  Orient.  Dedication,  August 
13,  1891. 

Genoa  Bluffs:  October  5,  1856.  W.  P.  Gale,  J.  J.  Hill,  B.  I.  Jones,  Wilham 
Patten,  H.  A.  Clark,  M.  Archer,  1874-1883,  H.  L.  Marsh,  James  Rowe, 
G.  L.  Wilson,  J.  A  Brown,  G.  W.  Stark,  G.  A.  McKinley,  D.  I.  Morgan 
and  J.  M.  Whitehead,  1904-1910. 

Georgetown:  June  14,  1863.  Tudor  Jones,  Cadwallader  Jones,  J.  Cad- 
wallader  and  A.  S.  EUiott.     No  report  after  1884. 

German  Township:  January  22,  1892.  Yoked  with  Webster.  Dedica- 
tion, August  28,  1892. 

Gifford:  January  31,  1893.  Yoked  with  Eldora,  E.  Kent  supplying.  Sur- 
vived only  a  few  months. 

Gilbert:  February  29,  1880.  Yoked  with  Ames  until  1897.  Pastors 
since,  G.  W.  Tingle,  A.  L.  Dunton,  J.  W.  Buck,  C.  T.  Halbert,  A.  J. 
Naly,  A.  J.  Wolfe.     Dedications  in  1882  and  1909. 

Oilman:  March  27,  1870.     J.  M.  Chamberlain,  S.  J.  Buck,  1871-1878, 

F.  H.  Magoun,  G.  M.  D.  Slocum,  A.  S.  Houston,  Robert  Lavender, 
C.  L.  Hammond,  G.  R.  Chambers,  G.  E.  Chapman,  Wilham  Kennedy. 
Dedication,  November  19,  1871. 

Givin:  January,  1875.     C.  D.  Jones,  I.  C.  Hughes,  I.  M.  Jones,  C.  W. 

Evans  and  Lloyd  WilUams  since  1900.     Reports  incomplete. 
GlenEUyn:   Had  a  name  to  Uve;  yoked  with  Sergeant  Bluffs,  1892-1896. 
Gladbrook:  Nominal    existence,     1881-1887.     Occasional    supply    from 

Toledo. 
Glasgow:  May  21,  1853.     Yoked  with  Salem,  Rome  and  Hillsboro  and 

suppUed  by   Kennedy,   Cooper,   Belknap   and   others.     Pastorless   a 

great  portion  of  time. 
Glenwood:  October  18,  1856.     Jonathan  Todd,  M.  Tingley,  A.  V.  House, 

O.  W.  Cooley,  J.  K.  Nutting,  1869-1873  and  1890-1895,  J.  Allender, 

A.  Rogers,  J.  B.  Sharp,  M.  M.  Thompson,  G.  T.  Holcombe,  C.  H.  Craw- 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   A   NUTSHELL  341 

ford,  M.  D.  Reed,  J.  B.  Stanton,  W.  A.  Rockoven,  J.  H.  Skiles  and 
R.  W.  Burton.  Dedications  in  1857  and  1893.  A.  D.  French,  Sun- 
day School  Superintendent  twenty-seven  years. 

Good  Hope:  February  24,  1891.  Yoked  with  Nevinville.  Dedicated, 
February  7,  1892. 

Golden  Prairie:  March  28,  1869.  E.  R.  Stiles,  B.  M.  Amsden,  J.  M.  Frey, 
E.  G.  Carpenter,  D.  N.  Bordwell,  A.  F.  Loomis,  L.  M.  Pierce,  W,  R. 
Smith,  John  Croker,  Robert  Mumby,  W.  B.  Jackson,  Robert  Howie, 
M.  J.  P.  Thing. 

Gomer:  July  21,  1872.  Samuel  Jones,  Caleb  Samson,  David  E.  Evans, 
R.  E.  Roberts,  Owen  Thomas,  1898-1904,  Arthur  Davies  and  John 
Roberts. 

Gospel  Ridge:  Yoked  with  Agency  1896-1900,  and  suppHed  by  D.  M. 
Lower. 

Gowrie:  October  24,  1875.  D.  G.  Youker  twenty  years,  1875-1892  and 
1906-1909,  Thomas  W.  Barbour,  W.  B.  Payne,  L.  H.  Cook,  M.  Barrett, 
B.  L.  Webber,  A.  M.  Leichliter,  C.  L.  McDougall,  J.  D.  McCord  and 
J.  T.  Steele.     Dedication,  November  11,  1879. 

Grand  River:  March  21,  1868.  W.  B.  Bachtell,  David  Knowles,  M.  D. 
Archer,  W.  W.  Hazen,  H.  N.  Lawrence,  H.  O.  Lawrence,  E.  J.  B.  Salter, 
Bertha  Bowers,  G.  T.  Herrick,  F.  E.  Calhoun  and  W.  E.  Wolfington. 
Dedication  in  February,  1876. 

Grandview:  Jime  19,  1857.  German  1857-1903.  A.  Blumer,  H.  Lang- 
paap,  F.  W.  Judeisch,  1860-1875,  H.  Hetzler,  A.  Kern,  H.  Vogler, 
G.  L.  Brakemeyer,  E.  F.  Kluckhohn,  William  Berg,  C.  W.  Anthony, 
P.  J.  Theil  and  H.  W.  Stein.  EngUsh  pastors,  H.  S.  Everet,  W.  L. 
Childress  and  S.  E.  Eells.     Dedication,  June  27,  1858. 

Grant:  October  9,  1871.  J.  H.  Covey,  1871-1875;  then  "suspended 
animation"  until  1882.  Date  of  reorganization  in  1882  retained  until 
1899  when  original  date  was  adopted;  pastors  after  1882,  R.  E.  Helms, 
J.  C.  Stoddard  (Dwight  Strong  and  J.  G.  Langdale,  students),  D.  E. 
Skinner,  John  Lansborough  and  F.  C.  Lewis.    Dedicated,  March  8, 1884. 

Grant  Center:  January  24,  1897.     Yoked  with  Rodney.     Disbanded,  1909. 

Green's  Grove:  1887-1897.     Yoked  with  Center  Point. 

Green  Island:  January  2,  1888.  Part  Father  Emerson's  field.  Yoked 
with  Miles  and  Bellevue.  Pastors,  W.  E.  DeRiemer,  G.  W.  Sargent, 
S.  A.  Wheelwright,  etc.     Dedication,  October  18,  1888. 

Green  Mountain:  June  15,  1857.  Alfred  Wright,  Robert  Stuart,  1861- 
1869,  H.  L.  Chase,  1870-1882,  C.  W.  Wiley,  J.  H.  Albert,  W.  H.  Atkin- 
son, Wilham  Chappell,  D.  Smith,  J.  Croker,  C.  R.  Bruce,  O.  H.  L. 
Mason,  F.  G.  Wilcox,  G.  H.  Croker,  O.  G.  Mason  and  G.  E.  Galla- 
gher.   Building  erected  in  1868.    Rededicated,  August  6, 1899. 


342  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Greenville:  April  10,  1905.  J.  B.  Chase,  1905-1907.  Disbanded  1909. 
Dedication,  September  2,  1906. 

Grinnell:  April  8,  1855.  Supplied  J.  B.  Grinnell,  Stephen  Herrick,  1855- 
1863.  Pastors,  S.  D.  Cochran,  W.  W.  Woodworth,  J.  M.  Sturtevant, 
1877-1884,  John  Safford,  H.  M.  Tenney,  E.  M.  Vittum,  1891-1906, 
H.  N.  Dascomb,  1907-1910.  Buildings  erected  in  1855,  1860  and  1878. 
Rededication,  October  28,  1894. 

Grove  City:  January  29,  1865.  E.  S.  Hill,  186&-1869;  then  pastor  and 
church  moved  to  Atlantic. 

Hampton:  September  9,  1857.  J.  Wilcox  in  1857.  W.  P.  Avery,  185&- 
1872,  O.  D.  Crawford,  W.  H.  Barrows,  A.  D.  Kinzer,  1877-1888,  A.  S. 
Badger,  J.  W.  Ferner,  1893-1900,  J.  L.  Ward,  C.  E.  Tower,  James 
Thomson,  1905-.     Dedications,  Jime  30,  1872  and  February  14,  1897. 

Harlan:  June  25,  1871.  J.  G.  Sabin,  E.  L.  Sherman,  C.  N.  Sinnett,  J.  W. 
Geiger,  G.  L.  ShuU,  J,  B.  Mather,  C.  Snowden,  E.  P.  Child,  James 
Parsons,  F.  G.  Beardsley,  F.  W.  Keagy,  J.  L.  Blanchard.  Church 
building  erected  1882,  chapel  1898.     Rededication,  February  24,  1900. 

Harmony:  April  19,  1891.  Yoked  with  Milford  and  Dickens,  1891-1899. 
Later  Abi  L.  Preston,  N.  C.  Harvey,  H.  R.  Core,  J.  B.  Chase,  A.  M. 
LeichUter,  C.  S.  Marsolf.  Dedications,  1893  and  1908.  First  house 
demolished  by  cyclone. 

Hartwick  (Warren):  May  30,  1875.  G.  F.  Magoun,  R.  Hassell,  W.  H. 
Romig,  C.  H.  Eaton,  C.  E.  Blodgett,  R.  F.  Lavender,  L.  W.  Ruhl, 
W.  E.  Sauerman,  J.  E.  Perry,  J.  W.  Spire,  A.  N.  Fish,  L.  W.  Brintnall, 
H.  Wilson,  C.  T.  Halbert,  O.  D.  Crawford,  Nelson  Wehrhan,  W.  T. 
Butcher,  J.  E.  Nyhan  and  H.  H.  Pittman.  House  moved  to  the  village 
and  dedicated  September  28,  1890. 

Hawarden:  April,  1883.  W.  S.  Bell,  A.  A.  Andridge,  G.  F.  Hunter,  W.  J. 
Suckow,  (eight  years,)  E.  H.  Votaw,  B.  W.  Burleigh,  J.  P.  Burhng, 
C.  M.  Westlake  and  C.  A.  Chambers.     Dedication,  December  29,  1885. 

Hawthorne:  April  25,  1884.  Joseph  England  and  Emma  K.  Henry, 
1884-1887.     Disbanded,  1888. 

Hawleyville:  Organised  in  1860.  A.  V.  House,  1860-1862.  Disbanded 
in  1863. 

Hebron:  February  8,  1889.  W.  W.  Hazen,  H.  N.  Lawrence,  H.  O.  Law- 
rence, 1889-1895.     Disbanded,  1895. 

Hickory  Grove:  May  17,  1867.  Yoked  with  Mt.  Pleasant,  Crawfords- 
ville  and  WajTie.     Dedication,  January  16,  1870. 

Highland:  July  9,  1871.  A.  Lyman  and  B.  B.  Lane,  1873-1883.  United 
with  M.  P.  Church,  1890. 

Hillsboro:  January  15,  1853.  J.  C.  Cooper,  J.  R.  Kennedy,  S.  Hemen- 
way,  J.  S.  Barris,  C.  F.  Dykeman,  L.  T.  Rowley.  No  pastor  after  1882. 
Disbanded,  1890. 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   A   NUTSHELL  343 

Hinsdale:  December  24,  1898.     Yoked  with  Blencoe.     Dedication,  Febru- 
ary 4,  1900. 
Hinton:  August  15,  1891.     Only  a  nominal  existence  for  a  few  months. 
Hiteman:  September,  1895.     Owen  Thomas,  A.  F.  Marsh,  G.  W.  James, 

R.  B.  Hall,  G.  R.  Griffith,  N.  F.  Bahn,  F.  S.  Artz.     Dedication,  May 

12,  1901. 
Hope:  The  span  of  its  life,  December  25,  1896-1901.     Yoked  with  Exira. 
Hudson:  October  4,  1885.     Yoked  with  Reinbeck.     Disbanded  in  1895. 
Hull  (Pattersonville) :     S.  S.  Newcomb,  M.  S.  Croswell,  J.  B.  Chase,  C.  R. 

Bruce,  W.  H.  Kaufman,  C.  H.  Kershaw.     Dedication,  December  23, 

1883.     Presbyterianized  in  1900. 
Humboldt:  September    27,    1871.     Alexander    Parker,     Charles    Wiley, 

Norman  McLeod,  J.  H.  Gurney,  Peter  St.  Clair,  E.  C.  Moulton,  E.  S. 

Carr,  F.  J.  Douglass,  C.  P.  Boardman,  R.  L.  Marsh,  E.  A.  Harris,  M.  D. 

Reed,  H.  D.  Herr.     Buildings  erected,  1872  and  1904. 
Humeston:  August  25,  1901.     A  Presbyterian  Church  Congregationahzed. 

E.  S.  McClure,  Glen  H.  Putnam  and  Nathan  H.  Gist.     Dedication, 

June  10,  1906. 
Hutchins:     January    7,    1894.     Yoked    with    Britt.     Disbanded,    1909. 

Dedicated,  December  3,  1900. 
Independence:  May  8,  1867.     H.  Mills,  C.  H.  Bissell,  L.  W.  Brintnall, 

Roswell  Foster,  M.  S.  Croswell,  D.  Chapman,  J.  F.  Home,  A.  A.  Baker, 

J.  W.  Horner,  N.  F.  Douglass,  H.  C.  Rosenberger,  Wilham  H.  Hotzie, 

T.  B.  Couchman.     Dedication,  1868. 
Inland,  Cedar  Co.:  January  28,  1855.     Edward  Allen,  W.  A.  Keith,  H.  W. 

Cobb,  J.  R.  Upton,  S.  N.  Grout,  O.  Littlefield.     Closed  up  in  1862. 
Ionia:  September  10,  1889.     Began  with    ninety-five    members.     N.  L. 

Packard,  Samuel  Eveland,  George  L.  Hanscom,  O.  L.  McCleery,  A.  V. 

Ogilvie,  H.  W.  Webb,  Thomas  Max-well,  P.  M.  France,  E.  C.  Chevis, 

C.  T.  Halbert.     Dedicated,  September  14,  1890. 
Iowa  City:  November  26,  1856.     T.  Morong,  J.  C.  Hutchinson,  W.  W. 

Allen,  G.  D.  A.  Hebard,  R.  Sawyer,  W.  F.  Ijams,  J.  W.  Healey,  F.  L. 

Kenyon,  1878-1885,  R.  G.  Woodbridge,  1875-1888,  M.  A.  Bullock, 

1888-1900,  G.  A.  Cady,  H.  L.  Strain,  J.  T.  Jones. 
Iowa  Falls:    March  20,   1856.     John  Wilcox,  William  Kent,  A.  Graves, 

J.  L.  Atkinson,  O.  Clark,  D.  J.  Baldwin,  Asa  Countryman,  T.  J.  Reid, 

W.  D.  Symonds,  A.  O.  Cossar,  H.  B.  Long,  J.  B.  Chase,  A.  M.  Case, 

T.  M.  Price,  1895-1906,  Wilham  Hardcastle  since  1907.     The  church 

was  organized  at  Middlefield,  Ohio,  and  moved  out  to  Iowa.     Dedica- 
tions, August  16,  1866  and  November  13,  1887. 
Irving:    December    19,    1859.     Yoked    with  Toledo  and    Belle    Plains. 
Dropped  in  1873. 


344  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Jackson:  January  21,  1891.  Yoked  with  Central  City.  Church  erected 
in  1891. 

Jefferson:  1851.  Yoked  with  Wayne  and  Brighton.  Services  infrequent 
and  irregular.     Died  in  1870. 

Jewell:  August  5,  1883.  Asa  Countryman,  W.  C.  Hicks,  S.  A.  Arnold, 
A.  W.  Swengel,  J.  W.  Elser,  G.  W.  Tingle,  M.  C.  Haecker,  G.  R.  Cham- 
bers, W.  L.  Brandt,  Earle  Munger,  G.  O.  Porter,  A.  W.  Ricker.  Dedi- 
cation, November  28,  1886. 

Keb:  July  11,  1895;  in  a  mining  camp;  survived  five  years;  pastors  from 
Ottumwa  and  Beacon  supplying. 

Keck:  July  27,  1891.  Yoked  with  Silver  Creek.  Building  dedicated 
September  6,  1891;  destroyed  by  cyclone  July  6,  1893;  rebuilt  and 
dedicated  November  12,    1893. 

Kelley:  March  21,  1876.  O.  C.  Dickerson,  C.  O.  Parmenter,  S.  A.  Arnold, 
C.  E.  Marsh,  B.  C.  Tillett,  H.  E.  Warner,  G.  A.  Conrad,  G.  L.  Mc- 
Dougall,  J.  C.  Stoddard,  A.  W.  McNeal,  J.  K.  Nutting,  C.  H.  Steven- 
son and  W.  J.  Minchin.     Dedicated  in  1878. 

Kellogg:  February  22,  1868.  Original  name  Jasper  City.  A.  Lyman, 
R.  Hassell,  H.  S.  Thompson,  F.  G.  Woodworth,  T.  G.  Brainard,  A.  A, 
Baker,  D.  J.  Baldwin,  Philo  Gorton,  E.  P.  Allen,  Julius  Marks,  W.  N. 
Dunham,  J.  L.  Brown,  W.  L.  Brandt,  G.  C.  Jewell,  F.  C.  Gonzales, 
J.  F.  Smith.  Dedication,  May  26,  1889,  the  house  having  been  in  use 
for  seven  years. 

Keokuk:  February  14,  1854.  James  P.  Kimball,  H.  P.  Roberts,  W.  W. 
Allen,  George  Thatcher,  1860-1867,  B.  Judkins,  Cyrus  Pickett,  Clayton 
Welles,  F.  G.  Grassie,  J.  S.  Hoyt,  H.  M.  Penniman,  W.  L.  Beyers, 
G.  E.  Paddock,  G.  C.  Williams.  Chapel  completed,  1857,  parsonage, 
1869;  present  church  building,  1909. 

Keosauqua:  December  3,  1844.  EarUer  organization  Presbyterian. 
Daniel  Lane,  1843-1853,  O.  Dimon,  W.  D.  Sands,  J.  D.  Sands,  1856- 
1866,  J.  Windsor,  J.  P.  Richards,  J.  W.  Horner,  D.  M.  Breckenridge, 
T.  C.  Walker,  T.  Oadams,  and  C.  E.  Perkins  1896-1911.  Dedica- 
tions, December  14,  1848  and  April  1,  1888. 

Kinglsey:  February  14,  1886.  M.  T.  Rainier,  J.  W.  Chaffin,  M.  Albert, 
John  Croker,  G.  A.  Conrad,  E.  E.  Webber,  S.  F.  MilUkan,  W.  D. 
Spiker.     Dedications,  December  18,  1887  and  February  14,  1909. 

Knoxville:  August  6,  1858.  This  the  first  organization.  Charles  Bum- 
ham  and  O.  F.  French,  1852  and  1864.  Disbanded,  1865.  Reorgan- 
ized, January  21,  1894.  O.  V.  Rice,  G.  W.  Baxter,  H.  L.  Preston, 
C.  L.  Hyde,  D.  W.  Swender  and  S.  J.  Geddes.  Dedication,  No- 
vember 19,  1895. 

Laddsdale:  January  28,  1889.  Yoked  with  Eldon,  1889-1896;  then  dis- 
banded. 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   A  NUTSHELL  345 

Lakeport:  March  21,  1895.     Yoked  with  Sloan  until  1900,  then  disbanded. 

Lakeview:  April  13,  1890.  M.  D.  Reed,  R.  L.  McCord,  T.  J.  Woodcock, 
H.  G.  Cooley,  W.  G.  Little,  John  Croker,  P.  B.  West,  B.  J.  Rhodes, 
C.  T.  Halbert,  J.  B.  Bickford,  E.  Herbert  and  J.  T.  Marvin.  Dedica- 
tion, November  20,  1892. 

Lakeside:  April  7,  1895.  R.  R.  Wood,  L.  R.  Fitch,  F.  C.  Gonzales,  J.  D. 
Mason,  etc.     Dedication,  October  20,  1889. 

Lakeville:  July  9,  1870.  J.  R.  Upton,  1869-1880.  Destroyed  by  the 
grasshoppers. 

Lansing:  May  15,  1853.  T.  Lyman,  G.  Bent,  D.  N.  Bordwell,  J.  B. 
Gilbert,  Alexander  Parker,  T.  H.  Canfield,  O.  Clark,  A.  Graves,  P. 
Litts,  C.  H.  Rogers.     No  pastor  after  1878.     Disbanded,  1886. 

Lansing  Ridge  (Church)  German:  August  21,  1864.  J.  H.  Langpaap,  H. 
Sallenbach,  P.  Weideman,  P.  Hirth,  John  Single,  J.  Reuth,  J. 
Schneider,  A.  Kern,  W.  C.  Zumstein,  George  Hein  and  A.  Kegel. 

Lamoille:  November  2,  1886.  S.  A.  Martin,  J.  W.  Scott,  A.  L.  Dunton, 
E.  E.  Reed,  C.  G.  Oxley,  R.  E.  House,  S.  J.  Huffman,  J.  D.  Lewis  and 
E.  B.  Palmer.     Dedication,  November  6,  1887. 

Larchwood:  September  29,  1886.  W.  H.  Watson,  W.  N.  Dunham,  H.  W. 
Mercer,  A.  M.  LeichUter,  WiUiam  Jones,  D.  E.  Evans,  G.  H.  Croker, 
G.  A.  Wickwire,  G.  W.  Schroeder,  A.  J.  Benton,  T.  Thompson.  Build- 
ings erected  in  1890,  enlarged  in  1900;  burned  in  1909;  rebuilt,  1909. 

Le  Claire:  September  2,  1849.  L.  H.  Bullen  (Prof,  of  Iowa  College), 
H.  W.  Cobb,  L.  R.  White,  J.  T.  Marsh,  A.  A.  Alvord,  D.  N.  Bordwell, 
A.  Harper.     No  pastor  after  1860. 

Le  Claire  Center:  September  13,  1854.  Existence  for  three  years.  Yoked 
with  Le  Claire. 

Ledyard:  February  4,  1894.  Yoked  with  Buffalo  Center.  Dropped 
from  Ust  in  1908. 

Lawler:  February  5,  1871.  B.  F.  Manwell  (died  in  office).  A.  V.  House 
(died  in  office).  Yoked  with  Waucoma  since  1874.  Protestant  plant 
in  midst  of  Catholicism. 

Le  Mars:  August  4,  1871.  R.  M.  Sawyer  (died  in  office),  D.  D.  Frost, 
A.  E.  Arnold,  R.  Morton,  C.  S.  Beardsley,  J.  P.  Patch,  J.  E.  Snowden, 
W.  J.  Suckow,  A.  F.  Fehlandt,  W.  J.  Johnston,  L.  G.  Kent,  J.  L.  Blan- 
chard,  R.  W.  Purdue  and  C.  F.  Fisher.  Dedications,  August  24,  1873 
and  March  3,  1889. 

Lewis:  April  11,  1855.  G.  B.  Hitchcock,  L.  Harlow,  W.  C.  Sexton,  B.  F. 
Haviland,  A.  A.  Whitmore,  Charies  Little,  1875-1885,  J.  H.  Skiles, 
A.  Clark,  G.  C.  Jewell,  D.  E.  Evans,  H.  J.  Hinman,  J.  L.  Fisher,  F.  W. 
Keagy  and  B.  F.  Myers.  Dedication,  November,  1865  and  October 
11,  1903.     Parsonage  in  1879. 


346  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Lima:  January  1,  1851.  S.  D.  Helms,  1857-1864  and  1866-1873,  J.  J. 
Hill,  W.  S.  Potwin  and  E.  C.  Moulton.     Disbanded  in  1882. 

Lincoln:  December  23,  1888.  Yoked  with  Jewell  and  Ellsworth.  Dedi- 
cation, November  3,  1889. 

Linn  Grove:  February  14,  1891.  Yoked  with  Berwick,  1891-1895,  and 
after  that  with  Bondurant.     Dedication,  September  20,  1891. 

Little  Cedar:  January,  1846.  Previously  Presbyterian,  E.  Ripley,  A.  B. 
Dilley  and  O.  French,  1844-1852.     Disbanded. 

Little  Rock:  May  28,  1893.  P.  B.  West,  D.  Donaldson,  F.  W.  Gardner, 
W.  A.  Brintnall,  C.  A.  Downs,  Edward  Wilson,  C.  J.  Gall,  J.  F.  Steele. 
Dedication,  November  26,  1893. 

Long  Creek :  January  14,  1846.  First  pastor,  David  Knowles,  who  preached 
here  the  first  Welsh  sermon  in  Iowa  in  September,  1845.  Other  pas- 
tors, Thomas  Evans,  Owen  Owens,  Samuel  Jones,  L  C.  Hughes,  M.  E. 
Davies,  J.  E.  Jones,  W.  H.  Jones,  Lloyd  William,  James  Jenkins,  R.  P. 
Roberts  and  T.  P.  Jenkins. 

Lucas  Grove:  April  30,  1858.  A.  B.  Robbins  before  organization  preached 
in  the  neighborhood  and  continued  up  to  1860.  Other  pastors,  J.  B. 
Gilbert  and  T.  H.  Canfield.     Building  in  1859.     Disbanded,  1888. 

Luzerne,  Bohemian:  July  18,  1899.  Services  began  in  1888,  by  John 
Musil  and  F.  T.  Bastel.     Anton  Paulu,  pastor  since  1903. 

Lyons:  December  21,  1839.  Pastors  and  SuppUes,  J.  H.  Prentis,  O.  Emer- 
son, T.  P.  Emerson,  J.  C.  Holbrook,  H.  G.  Warner,  J.  T.  Mowrey,  S.  F. 
Francis,  J.  C.  Strong,  S.  N.  Grout,  0.  Miner,  G.  R.  Moore,  L.  J.  White, 
G.  F.  Magoun,  M.  W.  Fairfield,  T.  M.  Boss,  L.  Curtis,  Sidney  Craw- 
ford, H.  A.  Shory,  T.  S.  Oadams,  E.  S.  Carr,  E.  B.  Chase,  C.  W.  Wilson, 
F.  B.  Hicks,  A.  D.  Kinzer,  C.  E.  Tower,  J.  Foster,  C.  A.  Riley.  Dedica- 
tions, July  13,  1856;  July  12,  1857;  October  12,  1862  and  August  5, 
1894. 

Madison  Co.  First:  May  6,  1884.  M.  D.  Archer,  A.  M.  Beman,  C.  S. 
Hamilton,  W.  W.  Hazen,  H.  O.  Lawrence,  E.  J.  B.  Salter,  Bertha  Bow- 
ers, George  Herrick,  M.  H.  Booth,  F.  C.  Calhoun,  H.  R.  Baker,  W.  E. 
Wolfington  and  L.  G.  J.  Kelley. 

Magnoha:  April  1,  1855.  W.  W.  Ludden,  H.  D.  King,  G.  B.  Hitchcock, 
W.  R.  Black,  J.  H.  Morley,  W.  H.  Haywood,  G.  T.  Tompkins,  W.  Rad- 
ford, L.  P.  Sabin,  Geo.  L.  Marsh,  Benson  Sewall,  C.  P.  Boardman,  O. 
Brown,  Abi  L.  Preston,  D.  Cameron,  P.  B.  West,  1895-1900  and  1905- 
1909,  A.  E.  Bashford  and  F.  W.  Luxford.     Building  erected,  1859. 

Manchester:  August  3,  1856.  L.  B.  Fifield,  A.  T.  Loring,  D.  Russell, 
A.  A.  Baker,  E.  R.  Stiles,  J.  P.  Barrett,  B.  T.  Stafford,  J.  G.  Miller,  H.  W. 
Tuttle,  1889-1905,  W.  J.  Suckow,  C.  E.  Lynde  and  J.  F.  Moore. 
Dedications  in  1864,  1884  and  1900. 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   A   NUTSHELL  347 

Manson:  May  21,  1868.     Calvin  LaDue,  A.  V.  House,  W.  J.  Smith,  D.  G. 

Youker,  1877-1889,  W.  H.  Klose,  F.  Elliott,  W.  H.  Stubbins,  H.  P. 

Douglass,  George  Marsh,  F.  G.  Wilcox,  A.  W.  Moore,  E.  J.  B.  Salter, 

H.  J.  Wilkins,  I.  O.  Mallory.     Dedications,  July,  1874,  and  November, 

1899. 
Maquoketa:  December  10,   1843.     William  Salter,  W.  A.  Keith,  J.  W. 

Windsor,  C.  E.  Dellevan,  W.  A.  Patten,  P.  Blakeman,  C.  S.  Cady,  J.  B. 

Gilbert,  J.  T.  Cook,  J.  S.  Graves,  S.  F.  MilUkan,  1875-1888,  T.  S. 

Oadams,  Samuel  Shepherd,  M.  Dana  and  W.  D.  Lewis.     Dedications, 

1851  and  1878. 
Marion:  April  1,  1848.     B.  Roberts,  J.  R.  Mershon,  A.  Manson,  D.  S. 

Dickenson,  J.  H.  Windsor,  J.  A.  Ross,  C.  H.  Bissell,  W.  A.  Waterman, 

W.  W.  Gist,  J.  W.  Geiger,  J.  B.  Gonzales,  A.  D.  Kinzer,  M.  L.  Hutton 

and  J.  J.  Jones.     Dedications,  1852  and  1877. 
Marshalltown:  July  9,  1868.     R.  B.  Bull,  W.  L.  Bray,  WilUam  Windsor, 

George  C.  Lamb,  W.  R.  Scarritt,  J.  H.  Henderson,  C.  R.  Gale,  C.  P. 

Boardman,  A.  W.  Sinden,  L.  B.  Hix  and  B.  F.  Martin.     Dedications, 

December  21,  1870  and  February  23,  1890. 
Masonville:  November   13,    1893.     W.   E.   Lamphear,    1894-1896.     Dis- 
banded,   1897. 
Mason  City:  March  7,  1858.     T.  Tenney,  S.  P.  LaDue,  J.  D.  Mason,  J.  B. 

Gilbert,  W.  P.  Bennett,  N.  T.  Blakesley,  E.  C.  Moulton,  J.  R.  Knodell, 

G.  Rindell,  A.  Blanchard,  D.  N.  Hartsough,  J.W.  Geiger,  S.  F.  Millikan, 

F.  G.  Wilcox,  C.  H.  Rogers,  A.  H.  Jordan  and  C.  E.  Tower.     Dedica- 
tions, May  12,  1868  and  December  4,  1898. 

Mason  City  Plymouth:  October  25,  1910. 

McGregor:  January  4,  1857.  Joseph  Bloomer,  T.  A.  Wadsworth,  H.  G. 
McArthur,  S.  P.  Sloan,  (1860-1870),  D.  R.  McNabb,  S.  F.  MilUkan, 
C.  C.  Cragin,  J.  E.  Bissell,  C.  A.  Marshall,  1887-1900,  B.  W.  Burleigh, 

G.  A.  Francis,  W.  E.  Mann  and  S.  T.  Kidder.     Dedication,  October 
28,  1860;  rededication,  February  20,  1868  and  again  January  3,  1904. 

Meriden:  1880.  Yoked  with  Cherokee.  J.  B.  Chase,  1880-1884.  Dis- 
banded in  1886. 

Miles:  August  15,  1879.  Alexander  Parker,  1879-1885,  W.  E.  DeRiemer, 
W.  H.  Bumard,  D.  D.  Tibbetts,  M.  A.  Frost,  J.  L.  Blanchard,  M.  P. 
France,  B.  F.  Myers,  A.  W.  Wiggins.     Dedication,  June  9,  1886. 

Midland:  April  24, 1874.  Yoked  with  Union  and  Eldora.  Disbanded,  1895. 

Milford:  June  25,  1888.  Services  by  Father  Upton  as  early  as  1872. 
Burton  and  Skinner  supplied  1888-1890.  Pastors,  L.  R.  Fitch,  A.  L. 
Weatherly,  F.  W.  Gardner,  B.  L.  Webber,  H.  H.  Burch,  W.  G.  Johnston, 
J.  H.  Olmstead,  J.  V.  Rosewame,  E.  Wilson  and  J.  M.  Turner.  Dedi- 
cations, August  2,  1891,  June  16,  1901  and  December  17, 1905. 


348  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Minden  German:  February  23,  1891.  Andrew  Kern,  Paul  Quarder,  Jacob 
Fath,  F.  Brenneke,  E.  C.  Osthoff,  F.  C.  Scherff,  H.  W.  Stein,  P.  J. 
Theil.     Dedication,  August  18,  1901. 

Mitchell:  February  14,  1857.  S.  P.  LaDue,  W.  L.  Coleman,  William 
Windsor,  D.  J.  Baldwin,  Robert  Kerr,  Alexander  Parker,  E.  Butler, 
J.  Chandler,  H.  A.  Heath,  William  Klose,  H.  A.  Risser,  O.  S.  Palmer, 
W.  H.  Stubbins,  L.  A.  Brink,  E.  P.  Crane,  A.  W.  McNeel,  H.  Wilson, 
O.  L.  McLeery,  O.  N.  VanSwarengen,  R.  K.  Chapman.  Dedication, 
March  14,  1869.     Moved  to  the  Center  in  1877. 

Mitchellville:  September  10,  1878.  J.  W.  Femer,  G.  H.  Sharpley,  J.  G. 
Sabin,  H.  C.  Rosenberger,  C.  B.  Taylor,  V.  B.  Hill,  W.  L.  Brandt,  J.  V. 
Rosewame,  L.  W.  Nine,  P.  H.  Fisk.  Dedications,  May  14,  1882  and 
September  27,  1903. 

Mizpah  (Somers):  October  1,  1897.  Yoked  with  Moorland.  Dedica- 
tion, December  12,  1897.     Moved  to  Somers  and  rededicated  March 

4,  1906. 

Mondamin:  February  17,  1875.  Yoked  with  Onawa  and  Magnolia. 
Much  of  the  time  pastorless. 

Monona:  February  17,  1855.  D.  B.  Davidson,  J.  R.  Upton,  J.  M.  Smith, 
P.  Litts,  W.  S.  Potwin,  A.  H.  Campbell,  F.  Elliott,  A.  A.  Young,  W.  H. 
Klose,  S.  T.  Beatty,  J.  E.  Grinnell,  B.  H.  Cheney.  Dedications,  De- 
cember 19,  1866  and  January  3,  1904.  An  earlier  Monona,  starting  in 
1849,  A.  M.  Eastman,  pastor,  1849-1852. 

Monroe:  August  27,  1865.  S.  N.  Grout,  C.  M.  Bingham,  C.  C.  Har- 
rah.     Disbanded,  1886. 

Monticello:  November  13,  1860.  E.  P.  Kimball,  Isaac  Russell,  D,  J. 
Jones,  J.  K.  Nutting,  J.  D.  Bell,  Wm.  Leavitt,  L.  W.  Brintnall,  D. 
Jenkins,  C.  A.  Towle,  J.  T.  Blanchard,  W.  L.  Demorest,  J.  W. 
Davis,  A.  M.  Case,  C.  C.  Warner,  M.  A.  Breed  since  1904.  Dedi- 
cated, January  27,  1868  and  January  20,  1901.  In  1862  only  eight 
members,  only  one  man.  J.  A.  Doutrick  Sunday  School  Superin- 
tendent for  the  past  thirty  years. 

Montour  (Indiantown  and  Orford) :  June  10,  1855.  T.  N.  Skinner,  G.  H. 
Woodward,  N.  M.  Crane,  J.  J.  Hill,  Robert  Stuart,  F.  Hurd,  C.  C. 
Adams,  1876-1883,  W.  H.  Barrows,  1883-1889,  H.  Avery,  1889-1899, 
A.  R.  Dodd,  D.  W.  Blakely,  G.  C.  Sprague.  Dedication,  February  11, 
1868. 

Moorland:  December  11,  1887.     L.  L.  West,    E.   S.    Carr,    F.   Hoover, 

5.  A.  Wheelwright,  M.  C.  Haecker,  W.  D.  King,  E.  E.  Webber,  A.  S. 
Willoughby,  Charles  Wyatt  and  J.  L.  Martin. 

Mound  Prairie:  February  26,  1871.  J.  Allender,  W.  J.  Smith,  Charles 
Slater  and  E.  L.  Sherman.  Dedication,  August,  1872.  No  pastor 
since  1879.    Disbanded,  1884. 


THE  CHURCHES  IN  A  NUTSHELL  349 

Moville  (Arlington):   September  20,  1885.     D.   E.   Skinner,  A.  S.  Wil- 

Joughby,  F.  Lawson,  Fred  Hanscom,  W.  A.  Pottle,  G.  E.  Stump,  M.  C. 

Dimsmore,    Charles   Parsons,    John   Lloyd,    G.    W.    Tingle,    G.    A. 

Wickwire,  J.  C.  Stoddard  and  W.  P.  Begg.     Dedications,  December 

18,  1887  and  January  10,  1897. 
Mt.  Hope:  April  3,  1875.     A.  S.  Elliott,  1875-1880.     Disbanded,  1886. 
Mt.    Pleasant:    June    27,    1841.     R.    Gaylord,    1841-1843,    E.    Adams, 

1843-1845,  S.  Waters,  T.  Packard,  J.  C.  Cooper,  A.  J.  Drake,  J.  W. 

Pickett,  W.  H.  Burnard,  Robert  Nurse,  George  Cakebread,  N.  I.  Jones, 

J.  B.  Sharp,  O.  W.  Rogers,  1883-1900,  F.  L.  Johnson,  H.  J.  Hinman, 

B.  Staunton. 

Muscatine:  November  29,  1843.  A.  B.  Robbins,  1843-1892  and  Emeritus 
until  death  in  1896.  F.  T.  Lee,  W.  E.  Brooks,  L.  G.  Kent,  H.  D.  Herr, 
J.  P.  Clyde,  B.  C.  Preston,  A.  S.  Henderson.  Dedications,  1846,  1852, 
1857,  1893  and  1908. 

Muscatine  German:  December  7,  1854.  C.  F.  Veitz,  J.  W.  Judeisch, 
John  Schaerer,  Jacob  Reuth,  H.  H.  Sallenbach,  Henry  Hetzler, 
Jacob  Fath,  1882-1899,  Jacob  Henn,  F.  C.  F.  Scherff,  E.  C.  Osthoff 
and  C.  M.  Dettmers.     Dedications,  1855  and  1891. 

Muscatine  Pilgrim:  May  22, 1894.  G.  M.  D.  Slocum,  1894-1897.  Dropped 
in  1901. 

Muscatine  Mulford:  1809.  W.  H.  ThomHnson.  Both  this  and  Pilgrim 
fruits  of  a  mission  Sunday  School.     Dedication,  January  20,  1907. 

Murray:  1875-1879.     Never  a  pastor.     Only  occasional  preaching. 

Nashua:  August  16,  1866.  J.  K.  Nutting,  R.  J.  WiUiams,  M.  B.  Page, 
M.  Spencer,  L.  D.  Boynton,  C.  A.  Marshall,  Thomas  Reid,  N.  L. 
Packard,  A.  H.  Sedgwick,  H.  C.  Scotford,  M.  Barrett,  E.  Ewell, 
A.  W.  Sinden,  H.  H.  Burch.     Dedication,  July  3,  1870. 

Nevinville:  August  30,  1858.  Homer  Penfield,  I.  S.  Davis,  A.  V.  House, 
Robert  Hunter,  T.  H.  Canfield,  N.  M.  Calhoun,  A.  W.  Archibald,  H. 
Geer,  H.  S.  Fish,  G.  M.  Orvis,  J.  H.  Skiles,  H.  L.  Wissler,  A.  G.  Wash- 
ington, A.  S.  Willoughby,  O.  D.  Crawford,  J.  F.  Lansborough,  M.  H.  N. 
Cris. 

Newburg:  April  8,  1880.  C.  H.  Eaton,  F.  H.  Magoun,  W.  L.  Coleman. 
Yoked  with  Gilman,  1884-1887,  and  since  with  Chester  Center.  Dedi- 
cation, November  22,  1896. 

Newell:  October  21,  1872.     A.  V.  House,  W.  J.  Smith,  T.  P.  Moulton, 

C.  M.  Swarzaur,  A.  Countryman,  Philo  Gorton,  A.  A.  Baker,  J.  R. 
Kaye,  M.  S.  Freeman,  N.  F.  Douglass,  W.  J.  Johnson,  W.  B.  Pinkerton, 
E.  F.  Wheeler,  F.  H.  Anderson,  A.  E.  Prior.  Places  of  worship,  stores, 
dwellings,  "Eating  House."  Churches  dedicated,  May  13,  1873  and 
May  17,  1903. 


350  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

New  Hampton:  Februarj-  14,  1858.  T.  N.  Skinner,  H.  Adams,  T.  Bayne, 
J.  M.  Ridlington,  C.  A.  Marshall,  J.  Merriam,  E.  C.  Moulton,  W.  E. 
DeRiemer,  C.  R.  Bruce,  I.  Brown,  J.  W.  Horner,  G.  L.  Hanscom,  W.  A. 
Pottle,  J.  L.  Blanchard,  C.  R.  Shatto,  J.  A.  Eakin  and  Joseph  Toms. 
Dedications,  December  25,  1866  and  July  4,  1886. 

New  Hampton  German:  June  20,  1874.  H.  Hess,  1874-1893,  William 
Dorn,  W.  C.  Zumstein,  P.  J.  Theil,  Andrew  Kern,  E.  F.  Warkenstein, 
H.  Eisener. 

New  Jefferson,  Green  Co.:  December,  1866.  Survived  to  1869.  Prob- 
ably went  into  the  Presbyterian  Church.  E.  R.  Beach  and  S.  P. 
Goodenow,   1866-1869. 

New  Liberty,  Scott  Co.:  October  30,  1858.  Yoked  with  Big  Rock.  Dis- 
banded, 1873. 

New  Pro\'idence:  November  12,  1865.  Yoked  with  Eldora  and  Union. 
Dedication,  October  27,  1871.     Gave  way  to  the  Quakers  in  1896. 

Newton:  September  19,  1856.  E.  P.  Ivimball,  E.  A.  Bartlett,  D.  E.  Jones, 
G.  H.  Beecher,  H.  E.  Barnes,  W.  L.  Bray,  D.  H.  Rogan,  R.  P.  Foster, 
E.  D.  Eaton,  J.  E.  Bissell,  S.  F.  Dickenson,  C.  C.  Harrah,  B.  C.  Baum- 
gardner,  J.  W.  Cowan,  G.  L.  Smith,  A.  B.  Appleby.  Dedications, 
October,  1859  and  May  8,  1892.     Total  accessions  over  1000. 

Newton\aIle:  February  10,  1891.  Yoked  with  Quasqueton.  Dedica- 
tion, July  10,  1892. 

New  York:  June  19,  1866.  Three  pastors,  David  Knowles,  D.  B.  Eells, 
W.  W.  Penwell.  Only  occasional  supphes  after  1874.  Held  on  until 
1897. 

NilesvUle:  June  23,  1893.  Yoked  with  Orchard.  Dedication,  February 
11,  1894. 

Nora  Springs:  August  23,  1857.  S.  P.  LaDue,  Thomas  LaDue,  L.  War- 
ner, J.  D.  Mason,  W.  M.  Brooks,  C.  F.  Dykeman,  W.  H.  Brocksome, 
N.  M.  Clute,  D.  E.  Skinner,  A.  M.  Case,  A.  S.  Horine,  J.  G.  Miller, 
Thomas  Woodcock,  J.  P.  Dyas,  A.  M.  Pipes,  M.  Dana,  B.  E.  Marsh, 
H.  C.  Van  Valkenberg,  C.  T.  Halbert.     Dedication,  October  23,  1887. 

Oak  Grove  (Vinton) :  June  17,  1891.     A  name  to  live  for  two  years. 

Oak  Grove  (Newton):  October  4,  1896.  E.  Durant  and  S.  A.  Arnold, 
1896-1901.     Disbanded,   1902. 

Oakland:  May  3,  1881.  G.  G.  Perkins,  D.  W.  Comstock,  C.  N.  Sinnett, 
J.  L.  Pierson,  J.  T.  Mumford,  E.  E.  Preston,  J.  L.  Blanchard,  D.  M. 
Ogilvie,  R.  E.  L.  Hayes,  W.  E.  Kunz,  J.  W.  Larkin,  A.  A.  Robertson, 
B.  J.  Rhodes.     Dedication,  December  17,  1895. 

Oak  Ridge:  1895-1899.     Yoked  with  Agency. 

Ocheyedan:  August  28,  1888.  Thomas  Pell,  L.  R.  Fitch,  D.  Donaldson, 
W.  A.  Brintnall,  J.  L.  Brown,  J.  B.  Chase,  W.  B.  Jackson,  E.  T.  Briggs, 


THE  CHURCHES  IN  A  NUTSHELL  351 

R.  W.  Coats,  J.  F.  Glover,  F.  R.  Rawlinson.     Dedication,  June  11, 

1893. 
Ogden:  April  4,  1869.     G.  W.  Palmer,  E.  H.  Martin,  L.  S.  Hand,  W.  M. 

Brooks,  J.  G.  Sabin,  D.  D.  Tibbetts,  S.  D.  Horine,  Robert  Stapleton, 

H.  G.  Cooley,  J.  C.  Stoddard,  W.  A.  Brintnall,  A.  H.  Hooker,  J.  L. 

Hayden,  G.  O.  Porter,  W.  T.  Seeley,  J.  T.  Marvin,  J.  D.  Lewis.     Dedi- 
cations, July  26,  1872  and  June  16,  1895. 
Old   Man's  Creek,   Welsh:  January   14,    1846.     David  Knowles,   G.   W. 

Lewis,  M.  M.  Jones,  Evan  Griffiths,  C.  D.  Jones,  D.  E.  Evans,  J.  E. 

Jones,  H.  P.  Roberts,  J.  J.  Evans,  J.  J.  Samuel,  William  Watkins,  J.  F. 

Humphries,  O.  M.  Jenkins  and  J.  M.  Williams. 
Onawa:  June  27,  1858.     G.  G.  Rice,  G.  L.  Woodhull,  C.  N.  Lyman,  1870- 

1890,   P.  B.  West,  J.  B.  Adkins,  W.  A.  Pottle,  J.  E.  McNamara,  F.  A. 

Zickefoose  and  Vinton  Lee.     Dedications  in  1871  and  January  12,  1902. 
Orchard:  April  10,   1877.     W.  H.  Atkinson,  J.  Alderson,  A.  H.  Clafiin, 

C.  B.  Moody,  J.  A.  Hulett,  W.  W.  Gist,  Wm.  R.  Smith,  P.  Litts,  F.  A. 

Slyfield,  Wm.  M.  Reed,  S.  A.  Martin,  G.  A.  Rawson.     Buildings,  the 

old  schoolhouse  and  new  church  dedicated  November  29,  1903. 
Orient:  October  11,    1881.     G.   M.  Orvis,   J.  H.  Skiles,   M.  D.  Archer, 

R.  W.  Jamison,  C.  R.  Hamilton,  C.  B.  Taylor,  W.  B.  Payne,  Abbie  R. 

Hinckley,  H.  O.  Lawrence,  W.  N.  Dunham,  R.  W.  Harris,  Bertha 

Bowers,  E.  R.  McCorkle,   James  Scull.     Dedications,  November  16, 

1884  and  June  28,  1903. 
Osage:  December  18,  1858.     WilUam  J.  Smith,  1858-1866,  A.  T.  Loring, 

T.  O.  Douglass,  1868-1882,  R.  G.  Woodbridge,  G.  W.  Reynolds,  C.  B. 

Moody,  W.  W.  Gist,   1892-1899,  B.  C.   Preston,  1899-1905,   H.  O. 

Allen  since  1906.     Dedication  in  1860,  1874  and  February  16,  1902. 
Oskaloosa:  October  27,  1844.     B.  A.  Spaulding,  G.  B.  Hitchcock,  W.  P. 

Apthorp,  J.  V.  A.  Woods,  W.  A.  Westervelt,  T.  E.  Roberts,  C.  H. 

Gates,  G.  D.  A.   Hebard,  J.  E.  Snowden,   1871-1886,   C.  H.  Keys, 

J.  Geiger,  C.  H.  Holman,  W.  L.  Bray,  A.  C.  Kaye,  J.  B.  Adkins.     Dedi- 
cations, July  24,  1857  and  March  3,  1889. 
Osterdock:  December  22,  1904.     Yoked  with  Colesburg. 
Otho:  April  4,  1855.     Thomas  Skinner,  William  Kent,  E.  J.  Boardman, 

C.  F.  Boynton,  A.  V.  House,  George  Bent,  Julius  Stevens,  N.  McLeod, 

N.   L.   Burton,   F.   Fawkes,    1873-1878  and   1889-1904,   T.  I.  James, 

Lidia  I.  James,  J.  O.  Mallory,   C.  A.  Chambers.     Schoolhouse  used 

from  1860  to  dedication,  December  13,  1883. 
Otisville:  September  10,   1865.     The  Dows  of  today;  Harrison,  Fawkes 

and  Harvey  among  the  pastors.     Disbanded  in  1894. 
Otley:  July  10,  1870.     Yoked  with  Monroe.     C.  M.  Bingham  and  C.  C. 

Harrah.     Closed  up  in  1881. 


352  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

Oto:  February  20,  1896.  W.  R.  Smith,  D.  E.  Armitage,  W.  G.  Johnston, 
J.  R.  Beard,  O.  M.  Humphries,  W.  A.  Alcorn,  W.  E.  Sauerman,  W.  A. 
Hansen.     Dedication,  February  14,  1899. 

Ottumwa:  February  15,  1846.  B.  A.  Spaulding,  1843-1863,  Elias  Chirk, 
Simeon  Brown,  Harmon  Bross,  Orlando  Clark,  S.  M.  Merrill,  J.  W. 
Healey,  R.  M.  Thompson,  A.  W.  Archibald,  1880-1887,  A.  L.  Smalley, 
L.  F.  Berry,  1890-1898,  W.  A.  Kenzie,  P.  A.  Johnson,  1900-1907, 
R.  J.  Locke.     First  house  completed  in  1850,  the  second,  1877. 

Ottumwa  South  (Plymouth):  L.  S.  Hand,  W.  I.  Cobum,  W.  M.  VanVleet, 
Allen  Clark,  J.  R.  Beard,  D.  D.  Davies,  Isaac  Cookman,  F.  A.  Zicke- 
foose.  Dedications,  April  13,  1884  and  December  11,  1904.  Inherited 
this  house  from  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church  which  united  with 
us  in  1904. 

Ottumwa  Swede:  Organized  Free  Mission  Church  in  1880;  became  Congre- 
gational in  1888.  K.  F.  Larson,  N.  J.  Bohlin,  A.  L.  Anderson,  E. 
Pilquist,  O.  Nystrom,  K.  G.  Fastien,  E.  A.  Wolden,  C.  F.  Olsson,  G.  N. 
Tegnell,  O.  F.  Dahlberg  and  H.  E.  Ek.     Buildings,  1886  and  1905. 

Ottumwa  Zion :  1897-1901 .     Yoked  with  Ottumwa  South. 

Owen's  Grove:  April  7,  1889.  Yoked  with  Rockwell.  Now  moved  to  the 
village  and  name  changed  to  Hanford.     Dedication,  July  3,  1892. 

Owen  Center:  December  22,  1901.     Yoked  with  Rockwell. 

Owen  South:  1888.     Yoked  with  Rockwell.     Dropped  in  1900. 

Pacific:  November  20,  1864.  L.  S.  Wilhams,  O.  W.  Cooley,  M.  F.  Piatt. 
No  pastor  after  1874.  Disappears  in  1879.  Town  moved  up  to  the 
railroad  station  at  Pacific  Junction. 

Parkersburg:  May  23,  1869.  A.  V.  House,  L.  D.  Boynton,  J.  M.  Bowers, 
D.  J.  Baldwin,  J.  Wadhams,  Alexander  Parker,  B.  M.  Amsden,  G.  N. 
Dorsey,  E.  M.  H.  Sly,  J.  P.  Richards,  A.  Countryman,  D.  M.  Brecken- 
ridge,  J.  Gray,  H.  C.  Calhoun,  J.  S.  Norris,  F.  G.  Brainard,  W.  G. 
Little,  W.  B.  Sanford,  J.  P.  Clyde,  A.  L.  Dunton,  J.  K.  Schultz,  C.  A. 
Chambers,  J.  J.  Jones,  A.  S.  Hock,  W.  P.  Begg,  W.  B.  Parden.  Dedi- 
cation,  December  4,   1870. 

Pekay:  Mining  camp  near  Oskaloosa.  Only  four  years  of  Ufe,  1896-1900. 
Dedicated,  June  27,  1897. 

Pella:  1858.     Reported  in  minutes  two  years,  A.  V.  Baldwin  pastor. 

Percival  (Civil  Bend):  March  8,  1861.  O.  Cummings,  G.  C.  Reed,  E.  C. 
Taylor,  W.  C.  Foster,  J.  M.  Cumings,  J.  Wright,  C.  S.  Hamilton,  F.  W. 
Long,  S.  R.  Brush,  L.  E.  Potter,  C.  S.  Colburn.  Dedication,  Novem- 
ber 15,  1896. 

Perkins:  July  19,  1891.  E.  H.  H.  Holman,  W.  H.  Kaufman,  Abi  L.  Pres- 
ton, C.  H.  Kershaw,  J.  B.  Chase.  Dedication,  January  24,  1892. 
Dropped,  1902. 


THE  CHURCHES  IN  A  NUTSHELL  353 

Perry:  December  12,  1883.  A.  P.  Lyon,  H.  Fowle,  J.  G.  Aikman,  G. 
Hurst,  J.  B.  Bidwell,  A.  D.  Kinzer,  H.  C.  Rosenberger,  B.  F.  Cokely, 
Jesse  Povey,  B.  W.  Burleigh.  Dedications,  March  3,  1889  and  Janu- 
ary 1,  1905. 

Peterson:  April  30,  1882.  J.  B.  Chase,  A.  M.  Beman,  R.  E.  Helms,  J.  C. 
Stoddard,  J.  F.  Home,  O.  L.  Corbin,  M.  H.  Galer,  W.  S.  Johnson,  A.  M. 
Leichliter,  J.  S.  Norris,  E.  J.  B.  Salter,  J.  W.  WilUams,  G.  B.  Deacon, 
E.  E.  Reed,  C.  G.  Oxley.  Dedications,  September  24, 1883  and  Novem- 
ber 8,   1908. 

Pilgrim  (Creston):  April  18,  1875.  N.  H.  Whittlesey,  V.  C.  Bosworth, 
M.  T.  Rainier,  A.  E.  Mosher,  J.  R.  Beard,  A.  S.  Willoughby,  W.  E. 
Todd,  G.  C.  Jewell,  W.  Schumaker,  F.  A.  Hinman,  George  Milne. 

Pine  Creek,  German:  August  10,  1858.  Yoked  with  German  Church  of 
Muscatine.     Dedicated,  July  15,  1863.     Disbanded,  1896. 

Pioneer:  September  22,  1896.     Yoked  with  Lakeside. 

Pleasant  Grove:  January  7,  1881.     Yoked  with  Fontanelle. 

Pleasant  Prairie:  March  3,  1886.  Yoked  with  Quasqueton.  Dedication, 
May  30,  1886. 

Pleasant  Valley:  January  20,  1873.  Yoked  with  Fort  Dodge.  Lived 
only  two  years. 

Pleasantville,  Marion  Co.:  January  8,  1851.  Yoked  with  Red  Rock. 
Disappears  in  1860. 

Plymouth:  1858.  Thomas  Tenney,  J.  D.  Mason,  S.  P.  LaDue,  1858- 
1870.     Nothing  after  that. 

Polk  City:  April  3,  1858.  J.  S.  Cook,  J.  K.  Nutting,  E.  Cleveland,  WUham 
Apthorp,  G.  W.  Palmer,  Alexander  Parker,  L.  S.  Hand,  J.  Grawe,  R.  W. 
Hughes,  R.  F.  Lavender,  S.  A.  Arnold,  L.  C.  Bellsmith,  A.  S.  Houston, 
J.  W.  Buck,  E.  V.  Menzer,  O.  D.  Crawford,  J.  H.  Mintier.  Dedica- 
tions, 1863,  January  30,  1870,  October  22,  1899  and  December  4,  1904. 

Popejoy:  June  23,  1895.  Charies  Wyatt,  P.  Litts,  J.  B.  Gonzales,  W.  D. 
WilUams,  J.  Wagner,  J.  H.  Scull,  T.  B.  Couchman.  Dedication,  Febru- 
ary 23,  1896. 

Portland:  June  17,  1900.  Yoked  with  Owen's  Grove,  Mason  City  and 
sometimes  Nora  Springs. 

Postville:  April  5,  1856.  D.  B.  Davidson,  C.  R.  French,  J.  L.  Atkinson, 
W.  H.  Barrows,  G.  F.  Bronson,  C.  A.  Marshall,  Jas.  A.  Hoyt,  L.  P. 
Mathews,  H.  H.  Robbins,  A.  S.  Houston,  C.  S.  Newhall,  A.  F.  Loomis, 
J.  W.  Ferner,  J.  O.  Thrush,  N.  L.  Burton,  L.  S.  Hand,  S.  W.  Pollard, 
T.  M.  Higginbotham,  D.  W.  Blakely,  F.  W.  Pease.  Dedications, 
September  12,  1867  and  October  31,  1897. 

Prairie  City:  February  28,  1868.  C.  H.  Eaton,  J.  Alexander,  W.  J.  Smith, 
Charles  Slater,  E.  L.  Sherman,  J.  W.  Ferner,  G.  H.  Sharpley,  W.  W. 

24 


354  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Hazen,  J.  J.  Mitchell,  W.  C.  Barber,  R.  G.  Hall,  A.  A.  Thorn.  Dedi- 
cated, December  3,  1891  and  rededicated,  October  18,  1903. 

Prairie  Hill:  March  17,  1886.     Yoked  with  Polk  City.     Dropped  in  1898. 

Preston  (Van  Buren) :  June  2,  1856.  O.  Emerson,  D.  B.  Eells,  Alexander 
Parker,  1879-1886,  W.  E.  DeRiemer,  W.  H.  Burnard,  G.  W.  Sargent, 
D.  McDermid,  S.  A.  Wheelwright,  M.  A.  Frost,  J.  L.  Blanchard,  W.  H. 
ThomUnson,  E.  R.  McCorkle.     Dedicated,  December  2,  1888. 

Primghar:  March  20,  1888.  D.  L.  Strong,  N.  L.  Burton,  T.  G.  Langdale, 
J.  C.  Stoddard,  D.  E.  Skinner,  James  Parsons,  C.  L.  French,  H.  H. 
Burch,  F.  C.  Lewis,  C.  H.  Gilmore,  L.  M.  Pierce.  Dedications,  July  27, 
1890,  December  15,  1895  and  June  5,  1910. 

Puritan:  December  31,  1888.  During  its  short  life  of  two  or  three  years 
yoked  with  Webster  City. 

Quasqueton:  June  20,  1853.  A.  Wright,  B.  Roberts,  H.  N.  Gates,  A. 
Manson,  C.  Dane,  E.  G.  Carpenter,  G.  N.  Dorsey,  W.  S.  Potwin,  G.  M. 
Orvis,  P.  Gorton,  A.  G.  Benton,  D.  W.  Blakeley,  E.  J.  B.  Salter,  F.  A. 
Slyfield,  R.  Mumby,  H.  J.  Richardson  and  A.  A.  Thom.  Dedications 
in  1853  and  December  14,  1890. 

Quincy:  October  21,  1865.  A.  V.  House,  J.  D.  Sands  and  S.  Barrows, 
1865-1869.     Transferred  to  Corning,  1869. 

Radcliffe:  July  4,  1897.  E.  H.  H.  Holman,  J.  Fitt,  L.  B.  Bickford.  Dis- 
banded,   1906. 

Red  Oak:  October  8,  1870.  O.  W.  Cooley,  G.  C.  Hicks,  G.  Dobson, 
C.  T.  Melvin,  J.  Allender,  1876-1884,  E.  A.  Leeper,  E.  C.  Moulton, 
G.  L.  Smith,  C.  P.  Boardman,  G.  E.  Ladd.  Dedications,  1884  and 
1890. 

Red  Oak  South:  July  9,  1894.  Thos.  D.  Thomas,  E.  H.  Davis  (Salvation 
Army),  1894-1901.     Disbanded,  1904. 

Red  Rock:  January  1,  1851.  J.  V.  A.  Woods,  J.  S.  Francis,  J.  Mather, 
A.  V.  Baldwin.     Drops  out  in  1859. 

Reinbeck:  September  30,  1877.  C.  H.  Bissell,  E.  H.  Martin,  C.  W.  Wiley, 
R.  H.  Thomas,  E.  E.  Webber,  Samuel  Eveland,  W.  L.  Brandt,  H.  E. 
Warner,  Robert  Stapleton,  L.  M.  Pierce,  O.  H.  L.  Mason,  A.  W.  Moore, 
C.  E.  Tower,  P.  H.  Ralph,  A.  W.  Sinden.  Dedications,  1878  and  May 
22,  1904. 

Riceville  (Jamestown):  September  4,  1858.  Edwin  Teel,  W.  L.  Cole- 
man, C.  S.  Marvin,  W.  F.  Harvey,  S.  Penfield,  O.  A.  Thomas,  J.  H. 
Skiles,  J.  A.  Brown,  Abbie  R.  Hinckley,  L.  N.  Pierce,  N.  L.  Packard, 
T.  C.  Hunt,  S.  J.  Huffman.  Dedications,  October  13,  1869  and  Decem- 
ber 28,  1902. 

Rock  Creek:  A  little  country  field  in  Jackson  County,  1855-1864,  supplied 
by  O.  Littlefield  and  others. 


THF  CHURCHES  IN   A  NUTSHELL  355 

Rock  Falls  (formerly  Shell  Rock):  August  10,  1856.  Yoked  with  Nora 
Springs  and  Plymouth;  supplied  by  Father  Tenney,  J.  D.  Mason,  C.  F. 
Dykeman,  etc.     Disbanded  in  1885. 

Rockford:  February  27,  1858.  S.  P.  LaDue,  L.  Warner,  T.  K.  Bixby, 
G.  A.  Paddock,  J.  B.  Gilbert,  C.  F.  Dykeman,  S.  S.  Grinnell,  G.  M.  D. 
Slocum,  H.  H.  Morse,  C.  E.  Taggart,  E.  L.  Ely,  J.  L.  Jones,  L.  M. 
Pierce,  G.  R.  Chambers,  G.  A.  McKinley,  C.  E.  Lynde,  F.  I.  Hans- 
com,  H.  R.  Core.     Dedications,  June,  1865  and  June,  1883. 

Rock  Grove:  August  23,  1857.  Yoked  with  Rockford.  Disbanded  in 
1869. 

Rock  Rapids:  June  13,  1878.  J.  E.  McNamara,  Amos  Jones,  C.  H.  Morse, 
A.  P.  Lyon,  F.  B.  Hicks,  G.  G.  Perkins,  W.  B.  Pinkerton,  A.  G.  WilUams, 
F.  G.  Beardsley,  F.  A.  Zickefoose,  H.  H.  Burch  and  C.  H.  Gilmore. 
Dedication,  July  13,  1884. 

Rockwell:  April  26,  1873.  W.  P.  Bennett,  C.  J.  Richardson,  W.  H.  Brock- 
some,  James  Alderson,  D.  E.  Skinner,  C.  Douglass,  D.  G.  Youker, 
1892-1903,  A.  A.  Robertson,  V.  B.  Hill,  L.  D.  Blandford.  Dedica- 
tion, 1878. 

Rodney:  April  10,  1893.  M.  DeLano,  G.  W.  Tingle,  G.  G.  Perkins,  J.  L. 
Brown,  W.  T.  Seeley,  W.  E.  Sauerman,  W.  A.  Hansen.  Dedication, 
October  22,  1893. 

Rome:  May  25,  1866.  Yoked  with  Mt  Pleasant  and  Glasgow.  Dedi- 
cation, 1870.     Disbanded,  1889. 

Rome,  Jones  Co.:  January  5,  1845.  Care  of  E.  Alden.  Disbanded  in 
1846. 

Rossie:  January  21,  1901.  Harley  Core  supplied  summer  vacation.  Dis- 
banded, 1903. 

Rowan:  June  10,  1890.  S.  A.  Martin,  C.  A.  Chambers,  V.  A.  Carlton 
since  1906.     Dedication,  November  30,  1890. 

Runnels:  February  18,  1893.  R.  C.  Moulton,  A.  M.  Leichliter,  J.  A.  High, 
L.  F.  Bufkin,  J.  F.  Lansborough,  L.  S.  Hand,  W.  A.  Alcorn,  E.  S.  Mc- 
Clure,  H.  M.  Peterson.     Dedication,  August  12,  1894. 

Ruthven:  June  22,  1900.  Survived  only  four  years.  Supplied  about  half 
of  the  time  by  A.  M.  Leichliter  and  F.  E.  Carter. 

Sabula  (Charleston):  December  14,  1845.  O.  Emerson,  1841-1844, 
1845-1855,  1861-1867,  PhiUp  Bevan,  A.  Harper,  J.  M.  Smith,  D.  R. 
McNab,  F.  Herbrechter,  D.  B.  Eells,  J.  Alderson,  E.  J.  Beach,  William 
Chappel,  D.  M.  Breckenridge,  W.  E.  DeRiemer,  D.  McDermid,  D.  E. 
Smith,  M.  A.  Frost,  W.  H.  Thomhnson,  James  Parker.  Dedications, 
1855  and  1872. 

Salem:  May  29,  1853.  J.  C.  Cooper,  J.  R.  Kennedy,  S.  Hemenway,  J.  A. 
Hallock,  J.  S.  Bans,  C.  F.  Dykeman,  L.  T.  Rowley,  D.  D.  Tibbetts, 


356  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

William  Jones,  J.  Davies,  J.  P.  Dyas,  F.  G.  Beardsley,  C.  E.  Drew, 
A.  S.  Henderson,  J.  T.  Roberts,  J.  J.  Jones,  M.  T.  Butcher.  Dedica- 
tions, April  22,  1854  and  November  24,  1889. 

Saratoga:  June  17,  1891.     Yoked  with  Elma  and  Riceville. 

Scott  Center:  July  5,  1857.  Organized  and  supplied  by  D.  Lane  while 
Prof.  I.  C.  at  Davenport.    Became  an  O.  S.  Presbyterian  Church  in  1859. 

Seneca:  July  14,  1869.  O.  Littlefield  and  Wilham  Spell,  1869  and  1876. 
Disbanded,  1880. 

Sergeant  Bluffs:  April  5,  1876.  A.  M.  Beman,  A.  A.  Baker,  D.  W. 
Comstock,  E.  L.  Sherman,  John  Gray,  J.  M.  Turner,  J.  B.  Chase. 
Dedication,  December  4,  1887. 

Shelby,  German:    1891.     Andrew  Kern,  1891-1893.     Disbanded  in  1894. 

Shelby ville:  1877.  J.  Copeland  and  J.  S.  Fisher,  1876-1881.  Disbanded, 
1882. 

Sheldon:  August  18,  1872.  H.  D.  Wiard,  J.  A.  Palmer,  E.  Southworth, 
L.  W.  BrintnaU,  T.  W.  Cole,  G.  L.  Hanscom,  J.  M.  Cumings,  W.  L. 
Bray,  1899-1908,  C.  M.  Westlake.  Dedications,  October  3,  1886  and 
February  23,  1902. 

Shell  Rock:  December  30,  1891.  J.  D.  Wells,  O.  H.  L.  Mason,  M.  Barrett, 
George  Marsh,  A.  L.  Dunton,  W.  D.  Spiker,  M.  C.  Haecker,  G.  A. 
McKinley,  J.  T.  Marvin,  F.  E.  Cane,  J.  J.  Watson.  Dedication,  July 
23,  1893. 

Shenandoah:  April  8,  1877.  Wilham  Blasted,  J.  O.  Stevenson,  1880- 
1887,  J.  H.  Bogges,  E.  C.  Moulton,  J.  T.  Robert,  George  Peebles, 
C.  R.  Shatto,  A.  S.  Henderson,  W.  A.  Schwimley,  W.  J.  Turner.  Dedi- 
cation, June  16,  1878. 

Sherrill's  Mound  German:  September  9,  1849.  J.  B.  Madoulet,  A. 
Frowein,  S.  Uhlfelder,  C.  F.  Veitz,  J.  Shearer,  R.  Gys,  H.  Hetzler,  J. 
Reuth,  Carl  Hess,  John  Single,  Gottfried  Grob,  E.  Von  Nussbaum, 
William  Loos,  E.  F.  Warkenstein,  George  Hein  since  1906. 

Sibley:  October  3,  1873.  B.  A.  Dean,  D.  J.  Baldwin,  Thomas  Pell,  J.  D. 
Whitelaw,  W.  W.  Mead,  E.  L.  Sherman,  J.  C.  Stoddard,  F.  L.  Hans- 
com, P.  B.  West,  Jonathan  Gray,  C.  H.  Seccombe,  A.  C.  Bowdish,  W.  H. 
Moore,  W.  A.  Schwimley.     Dedications,  1874  and  1899. 

Silver  Creek:  February  13,  1886.  S.  B.  Goodenow,  Charles  Wyatt,  M.  D. 
Reed,  G.  W.  Nelson,  R.  L.  McCord,  W.  R.  Smith,  C.  E.  Tower,  D.  D. 
McSkimming,  A.  A.  Baker,  C.  M.  Humphries,  J.  Kirkwood,  C.  Corbett, 
E.  M.  Keeler,  W.  H.  Ogle,  Geo.  E.  Brown.     Dedication,  July  26,  1891. 

Sioux  City  First:  August  9,  1857.  Wanted  a  minister  in  1851.  M. 
Tingley,  1861-1867,  J.  H.  Morley,  1869-1876,  J.  W.  McLoney,  J.  R. 
Chalmers,  E.  P.  Chittenden,  M.  W.  Darhng,  1886-1900,  F.  N.  White, 
J.  W.  FrizzeU,  W.  L.  Tenney,  W.  M.  Short  Dedications,  1862  and 
1890. 


THE  CHURCHES  IN  A  NUTSHELL  357 

Sioux  City  Bellevista:  May  17,  1897.     Supplied  irregularly  from  May- 
flower and  Riverside.     Disbanded,  1906. 
Sioux  aty  German:  1890.      F.  Egerland,  C.  W.  Wuerrschmidt,  Gottfried 

Wenning,  1890-1896,      Dedication,  September  14,  1891.      Disbanded, 

1898. 
Sioux  City  Mayflower:  March  31,  1887.     E.  L.  Sherman,  R.  W.  Jamison, 

1888-1897,  H.  L.  Preston,  George  WUlet,  L.  M.  Pierce,  E.  C.  Wolcott. 

Dedication,  September  18,  1904. 
Sioux  City  Pilgrim:  March  29,   1885.     J.  B.  Chase,  J.  E.  McNamara, 

A.  M.  Pipes,  W.  A.  Pottle,  E.  E.  H.  Holman,  J.  L.  Brown.     Dedica- 
tion, February  7,  1886.     Disbanded,  1898. 
Sioux  City  Riverside:  July  6,  1893.     R.  W.  Jamison,  E.  E.  H.  Holman, 

Mrs.  A.  O.  Nichols,  W.  Brown,  C.  L.  Marzolf,  H.  Booth.     Dedication, 

February  23,  1908. 
Sioux  Rapids:  November  4,  1875.     W.  J.  Smith,  A.  M.  Beman,  E.  P. 

Hughes,  W.  C.  Hicks,  James  Burns,  T.  C.  Walker,  J.  K.  Nutting,  F.  L. 

Fisk,  Ira  Holbrook,  R.  T.  Jones,  D.  R.  Martin.      Chapel,  1881;  church 

December  23,  1888. 
Slater:  March  24,  1891.     H.  E.  Warner,  B.  C.  TilHtt,  G.  A.  Conrad,  G.  L. 

McDougall.     Dedication,  December  27,  1897.     Disbanded,  1902. 
Sloan:  October  9,  1879.     A.  M.  Beman,  A.  A.  Baker,  D.  W.  Comstock, 

J.  Marsland,  E.  L.  Sherman,  J.  E.  McNamara,  G.  N.  Stump,  R.  F. 

Paxton,  H.  K.  Hawley,  B.  E.  Marsh,  J.  T.  Blanchard,  W.  J.  Frost. 

Building  1886;  destroyed  by  cyclone;  restored  1890. 
Smithland:  June  26,  1889.     Yoked  with  Rodney. 
Soldier  River:  December  21,  1883.     C.  E.  Marsh,  G.  F.  Jewel  and  C.  P. 

Boardman.     Dedication,  December  14,  1884.     Disbanded,  1895. 
Solon:  January  7,  1844.     E.  Alden's  first  field.     Soon  dropped  because  an 

O.  S.  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized,  but  service  continued  for 

a  time  by  Tipton  pastors. 
South  Herdland:  February  16,  1906.     Yoked  with  Greenville,  J.  B.  Chase, 

1905-1907. 
Spencer:  March  19,  1872.     W.  L.  Coleman,  J.  M.  Cumings,  G.  G.  Perkins, 

J.  O.  Thrush,  1891-1899   and    1910-,    G.  A.  Taylor  and  E.  E.  Day, 

1902-1909.     Dedications,  "Fall  of  1875"  and  July  16,  1893. 
Spirit  Lake:    October  7,  1872.     J.  R.  Upton,    1869-1880,  A.   M.  Beman 

and  J.  R.  Upton,  1882-1883.     Presbyterianized  in  1884. 
Spring    Lake:  December    1,    1893.     Occasional    supply    from    Waverly. 

Dropped  out  in  1897. 
Stacyville:  January  18,  1857.     W.  L.  Coleman,  1856-1867,  J.  B.  Parlin, 

T.  Tenney,  Charles  Hancock,  George  Stirling,  W.  H.  Barrows,  N.  H. 

Bl^ckmer,  F.  W.  Gardner,  D.  Blakeley,  E.  P.  Allen,  W.  E.  Sauerjnan, 


358  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

M.  J.  P.  Thing.  Dedication  in  1860.  Disbanded  after  a  career  of 
great  usefulness  in  1904. 

St.  Ansgar:  October  25,  1899.  Yoked  with  Stacyville  and  Mitchell. 
Dropped  out  1903. 

Stanton:  Pastor,  J.  A.  Hallock,  1882-1883.     Disbanded  in  1886. 

Steamboat  Rock:  Presbyterian  beginning,  1856.  Congregational,  June 
22,  1897.  W.  C.  Hicks,  A.  A.  Baker,  G.  T.  Holcombe,  W.  E.  Paul, 
J.  Thorn,  H.  H.  Pitman.     Dedication,  March,  1865. 

Sterling:  April,  1854.  OUver  Emerson,  A.  Harper,  F.  Herbrechter,  J. 
Alderson,  E.  J.  Beach.  Given  up  with  Union  meeting  house  to  the 
Methodists  in  1886. 

Stillwater:  June  22,  1894.  Yoked  with  Orchard.  Dedication,  Novem- 
ber 6,  1898. 

Storm  Lake:  1880.  J.  B.  Chase,  George  Morton,  F.  H.  Magoun,  J.  E. 
Snowden,  J.  W.  Ferner,  0.  V.  Rice.     Presbyterianized  May  7,  1895. 

Strawberry  Point:  February  14,  1872.  B.  M.  Amsden,  Charles  Hancock, 
P.  Gorton,  I.  N.  Tomes,  J.  Chandler,  W.  H.  Kaufman,  J.  G.  Aikman, 
M.  Barrett,  G.  O.  Smith,  J.  W.  Buck,  C.  L.  Snowden,  V.  F.  Brown, 
D.  O.  Bean,  A.  Marsh,  F.  A.  Dean,  C.  E.  Drew,  O.  M.  Van  Swearingen. 
Dedication,  March  16,  1884. 

Stuart:  June  12,  1871.  J.  Gadd,  W.  B.  Bachtelle,  E.  G.  Carpenter,  A.  E. 
Todd,  H.  P.  Roberts,  A.  W.  Archibald,  G.  W.  Reynolds,  A.  S.  Badger, 
H.  M.  Case,  G.  A.  Taylor,  E.  H.  H.  Holman,  F.  M.  Chaffee,  H.  W.  StiU- 
man,  W.  A.  Briggs.     Dedications,  July  14,  1872  and  March  6,  1904. 

Sutherland:  1882.  R.  E.  Helms  and  J.  C.  Stoddard,  1882-1886.  Dis- 
banded in  1887. 

Swanton:  1895.     Yoked  with  Parkersburg.     Dropped  out  in  1899. 

Tabor:  October  12,  1852:  John  Todd,  1852-1883  and  Emeritus  to  1894. 
J.  W.  Cowan,  1885-1894,  A.  R.  Thain,  John  Askin,  J.  W.  Ferner  and 
C.  F.  Fisher.  Places  of  worship,  Todd's  Cabin,  schoolhouse.  Col. 
Chapel,  1858-1875;  then  the  church.     Dedication,  June,  1875. 

Talmage:  April  30, 1887.    Yoked  with  Peterson,  etc.    Dropped  out  in  1902. 

Teed's  Grove:  1854.  One  of  Father  Emerson's  Union  Churches.  M.  E. 
mostly,  and  wholly  after  1898. 

Templeton:  May  1,  1876.  Little  Welsh  church  in  Carroll  county.  Re- 
ports meager.     Little  pastoral  service,  but  still  extant. 

Terrill:  December  17,  1899.  Yoked  with  Milford.  No  pastor  since  1906. 
Dedication,  September  14,  1902. 

Thompson:  1895.  Yoked  with  Buffalo  Center.  Dedication,  May  10, 
1896  and  November  25,  1901. 

Tipton:  May  5,  1844.  E.  Alden,  W.  A.  Keith,  H.  W.  Cobb,  M.  K.  Cross, 
1855-1866,  C.  S.  Harrison,  G.  S.  Briscoe,  1868-1875,  A.  W.  Thomp- 


THE  CHURCHES  IN  A  NUTSHELL  359 

son,  C.  S.  Newhall,  A.  G.  Brande,  B.  F.  Paul,  N.  L.  Burton,  H.  P. 

Douglass,  H.  Long.     Dedication,  December  9,  1866.     Disbanded,  1898. 
Toledo:  December  30,  1854.     T.  N.  Skinner,  G.  H.  Woodworth,   1856- 

1867,  Reed    Wilkinson,  J.  B.  Gilbert,  T.  D.  Childs,  G.  Rindell,  S.  J. 

Buck,  H.  W.  Parker,  F.  J.  Douglass,  C.  E.  Blodgett,  G.  M.  D.  Slocum, 

J.  B.  Chase,  J.  W.  Nelson,  L.  E.  Potter,  J.  A.  Holmes,  W.  A.  Briggs, 

I.  A.  Holbrook,  H.  H.  Pitzer.     Dedications,  December  13,  1860  and 

April  8,    1900. 
Traer  (Twelve  Mile  Creek,  Buckingham) :  June  22,  1856.     J.  R.  Upton,  B. 

Roberts,  1862-1870,  H.  Mills,  J.  B.  Gilbert,  C.  H.  Bissell,  J.  S.  Bingham, 

1882-1891,  I.  Brown,  O.  O.  Smith,  W.  A.  Hobbs,  W.  E.  Bovey,  F.  C. 

Gonzales.     Dedications,  June,  1867  and  October  22,  1901. 
Treynor:  September  1,  1901.     Carl  Zumstein,  A.  Kern  and  Jacob  Fath. 

Dedication,  February  9,  1902. 
Tripoli:  September  11,  1900.     Formerly  Free  Will  Baptist.     J.  S.  Norris, 

M.  McLean,  F.  A.  Dean,  A.  B.  Keeler,  F.  W.  Ward,  W.  A.  McCorkle, 

R.  K.  Chapman.     Building  purchased  from  the  Baptists. 
TrivoH:  January  25,   1851.     H.  N.  Gates  and  J.  R.  Upton,   1851-1853. 

Dropped  out  in  1860. 
Troy  Mills:  January  7,  1865.     E.  C.  Downs,  William  Spell,  J.  M.  Frey, 

C.  Dane,  G.  C.  Lockridge,  W.  S.  Potwin,  P.  Litts.     Disbanded,  1893. 
Tyson's  Mills:  November  21,  1868.     Yoked  with  Otho.     Soon  disappeared. 
Ulster:  1858.     Yoked  with  Rockford.     Disbanded  in  1884. 
Union:  April  16,  1871.     A.  D.  Kinzer,  W.  M.  Brooks,  F.  J.  Douglass, 

W.  C.  Hicks,  H.  E.  Warner,  P.  Litts,  J.  P.  Clyde,  C.  R.  Hunt,  E.  H.  H. 

Holman,  J.  B.  Gonzales,  M.  Barrett,  J.  H.  Armstrong,  H.  J.  Wilkins. 

Dedications,  first  Sunday  January,  1875  and  April  26,  1908. 
Valley  Junction:  November  5,  1895.     F.  L.  Johnson,  J.  W.  Horner,  G.  L. 

Marsh,  W.  C.  Barber,  F.  H.  Richardson,  G.  O.  Thompson.     Dedica- 
tion in  1898. 
Van  Cleve  (Logan) :  May  22,  1870.     G.  G.  Poague,  S.  A.  Arnold,  S.  A. 

Martin,  C.  E.  Tower,  Ira  Hambleton,  L.  S.  Hand,  and  various  Iowa 

College  students.     Building  erected,  1878;  moved  in  1884. 
Victor:  February    13,    1883.     Formerly    Presbyterian.     C.    E.    Blodgett, 

H.  L.  Marsh,  James  Rowe,  W.  B.  Paine,  E.  Kent,  R.  D.  Douglass,  C.  E. 

Cushman,  C.  W.  Hempstead.    House  purchased  in  1883.    Rededicated, 

November  24,  1901. 
Vining:  October   18,    1893.     Jonathan    Musil,    1888-1891,   F.   T.   Bastel, 

1889-1893.     Anton  Paulu  since  1893. 
Wall  Lake:  June  27,  1893.     Yoked  with  Gait.     Dedication,  May  6,  1894. 
Wapello:  May  7,  1853.     A.  L.  Leonard,  E.  C.  A.  Woods  and  J.  J.  Hill, 

1853-1856.     Disbanded,   1864. 


360  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Warren,  Lee  Co.:  September,  1849.  D.  B.  Nichols,  R.  Winchell,  A.  R. 
Mitchell  and  D.  B.  Eells,  1849-1867.     Disbanded.  1876. 

Washington:  February  27,  1842.  Charles  Burnham,  pastor.  Reorganized 
as  Crooked  Creek,  1845,  but  at  once  disappeared.  Reorganized  as 
Washington  Church  December  3,  1855.  C.  H.  Gates,  A.  B.  Hitchcock, 
O.  Tade,  M.  K.  Cross,  P.  Canfield,  and  G.  M.  Landon.  Died  in  good 
health  1877.  History  must  protest  against  the  disbanding  of  this 
church. 

Washta:  December  26,  1886.  L.  R.  Fitch,  G.  H.  Smith.  J.  F.  Home,  S. 
Simpson,  A.  A.  Baker,  H.  A.  Simpson,  R.  E.  Helms,  C.  H.  Gilmore, 
F.  K.  Luxford,  W.  E.  Sauerman. 

Waterford,  Clinton  Co.:  February  21,  1859.  Littlefield  and  Keith,  1857- 
1864.     Dropped  out  1865. 

Waterloo:  September  29,  1856.  Thomas  S.  LaDue,  J.  S.  Whittlesey, 
O.  W.  Merrill,  S.  B.  Goodenow,  E.  S.  Palmer,  W.  H.  Marble,  George 
Thatcher,  A.  A.  Ellsworth,  H.  S.  DeForest,  C.  B.  Welles,  J.  H.  Windsor, 
J.  O.  Stevenson,  1886-1898,  A.  A.  Tanner,  C.  H.  Seccombe  and  W.  H. 
RoUins.  Dedications,  August  23,  1860,  September  20,  1888  and  April 
5,   1908. 

Waterloo  Plymouth:  May  29,  1910.  L.  B.  Hix.  Church  starts  with  fifty- 
nine  members. 

Waterloo  Union :  January  27,  1907.  Grew  out  of  a  Union  Sunday  School. 
A.  B.  Keeler,  V.  M.  Patterson,  L.  A.  Brink.  Chapel  built  by  bequest 
of  Mrs.  Judd  of  Cedar  Falls. 

Waucoma:  October  7,  1874.  A.  V.  House,  H.  Lees,  H.  Kent,  C.  C.  Hum- 
phrey, P.  Litts,  W.  W.  Lewis,  M.  S.  Freeman,  V.  B.  Hill,  N.  E.  Han- 
nant,  R.  E.  House,  M.  A.  Frost,  W.  W.  Tuttle.     Dedications,  January 

9,  1875  and  October  25,  1891. 

Waukon:  April  21,  1864.     Alexander  Parker,  W.  J.  Smith,  L.  D.  Boynton 

and  W.  F.  Rose.     Disbanded,  1870. 
Waverly:    January    16,    1865.      E.    S.    Palmer,    M.    K.    Cross,    W.    H. 

Rice,  J.  G.  Spencer,   R.  M.  O'Neill,   G.  R.  Ransom,  A.  M.  Case,   P. 

Gorton,  George  White,  W.  B.  Pinkerton,  V.  F.  Brown,  J.  E.  Brere- 

ton  and  A.  R.  Rice.     Dedications,  February  1,  1866  and  October  17, 

1907. 
Wayne  (Olds) :   October  7,  1854.     E.  P.  Smith,  1854-1868.      S.  B.  Mc- 

Duffee,  L.  S.  Hand,  S.  Eveland,  C.  C.  Humphrey,  W.  E.  Sauerman, 

F.  J.  Douglass,  J.  C.  George,  O.  L.  McCleery,  J.  J.  Hales,  A.  Heddle. 

Dedication,  October  2,  1856.     Moved  to  Olds,  1897.     Remodeled  and 

rededicated,  January  4,  1903. 
Weaver:  March  13,  1889.     Yoked  with  Humboldt.     Dedicated  November 

10,  1889. 


THE  CHURCHES   IN  A  NUTSHELL  361 

Webster:  October   27,    1866.     Originally   South   English.     D.   B.    Eells, 

F.  Craig,  J.  E.  Morse,  H.  L.  Snodgrass,  N.  H.  Blackmer,  E.  Marsh, 

H.  S.  Rosenberger,  A.  S.  Willoughby,  F.  G.  Beardsley,  J.  C.  George, 

F.  E.  Matlock,  L.  V.  Shemerhorn,  J.  E.  Grinnell,  E.  C.  Chevis,  D.  M. 

Lower.     Dedication,  October  27,  1871. 
Webster  City:  October  12,   1855.     First  seven  years  irregular  services. 

T.  N.  Skinner,  1856-1857  and  1858-1889.     After  1862,  W.  H.  Osborn 

($150  from  the  people  and  $350  from  the  Home  Mission  Society),  W.  P. 

Harvey,  G.  R.  Ransom,  D.  N.  Bordwell,  J.  E.  'UTieeler,  J.  D.  Wells, 

J.  S.  Norris,  J.  T.  Blanchard,  C.  P.  Boardman,  J.  O.  Thrush,  1889- 

1910,  A.  Metcalf.      Dedications,  February  21,  1864,  January  21,  1871 

and  January  18,  1891. 
Wentworth  (Now  Mclntire):  October  30,  1868.     Yoked  with  Riceville. 

Dedication,  October  25,  1894. 
Wesley  EngHsh:  June  15,  1897.     J.  D.  Mason  and  A.  S.  McConnell,  1897- 

1899.     Dedication,  October  31,  1897. 
Wesley  Second:  1886.     L.  C.  Johnson,  C.  O.  Torgeson,  Jens  Pederson, 

Carl  Bloom  and  C.  E.  Nelson.     Dedication,  January  27,  1889. 
West  BurUngton:  April  6,  1884.     W.  H.  Buss,  E.  P.  Smith,  W.  E.  Holyoke, 

C.  P.  Boardman,  C.  N.  Thomas,  C.  R.  Shatto,  F.  A.  Zickefoose,  J.  E. 

Grinnell,  A.  F.  Marsh,  D.  W.  PhilUps.     Dedication,  September  14, 

1884. 
Westfield:  July  12,  1898.     G.  A.  McKinley,  O.  E.  Tichenor,  W.  T.  Seeley, 

W.  A.  Brintnall,  E.   T.  Briggs,   John  James.     Dedication,  April  9, 

1899. 
Westport:  March  8,  1894.     Yoked  with  Milford.     Dropped  out  1903. 
West  Union:  January   1,    1854.     S.   D.  Helms,   S.   Hulbert,   1854-1861. 

Dropped  out  in  1861. 
Whiting:  April  20,  1892.     One  of  C.  N.  Lyman's  "Appointments,"  Branch 

of  Onawa  from  1885.     Pastors,  G.  H.  Croker,  Benjamin  James,  D.  D. 

McSkimming,  M.  Barrett,  A.  R.  Heaps.     Dedication,  November  5, 

1893. 
WUUamsburg:  February,  1858.    W.  P.  Gale,  J.  J.  Hill,  B.  T.  Jones,  William 

A.  Patten,  H.  L.  Clark,  M.  D.  Archer,  George  Ritchie.     Dedication, 

November  5,  1871.     Dropped  in  1883. 
Williamsburg  Welsh:  March,  1856.     Evan  J.  Evans,  Henry  Davies,  R.  E. 

Roberts,  W.  R.  Griffith,  Abram  Jones,  Thos.  D.  Rhys,  D.  M.  George. 
Wilton:  June  20,  1856.     Organized  as  Sugar  Creek  church  in  1854.    Moved 

to  Wilton  Village  and  reorganized  in  1856.    David  Knowles,  1854-1858, 

E.  P.  Kimball,  J.  S.  Whittlesey,  E.  Cleveland,  H.  L.  BuUen,  C.  Allen, 

M.  B.  Starr,  M.  Smith,  D.  E.  Jones,  Thomas  Douglass  and  E.  P.  Smith, 

Pedications  in  1857  and  1874, 


362  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

Wilton  German:  January  3,  1895.  Connected  with  the  German  English 
College.  Discontinued  in  1904  when  the  college  moved  to  Redfield, 
S.  D. 

Winthrop:  March  11,  1865.  A.  Manson,  William  Spell,  L.  W.  Brintnall, 
E.  G.  Carpenter,  R.  Foster,  G.  M.  Orvis,  C.  B.  Carhsle,  A.  L.  Dunton, 
D.  W.  Spiker,  W.  G.  Ramsay,  L.  B.  Wadleigh  and  B.  H.  Cheney.  Dedi- 
cation, February  13,  1870. 

Wittemberg  (formerly  Presbyterian):  Congregational.  November  24, 
1865.  Geo.  G.  Poage,  S.  J.  Whitton,  Jonathan  White,  A.  A.  Whitmore, 
C.  C.  Starbuck,  S.  A.  Arnold,  Thomas  Merrill,  J.  J.  Mitchell,  1883- 
1890,  W.  N.  Dunham,  E.  Durant,  A.  J.  Benton,  R.  F.  Lavender  since 
1903.     Dedication,  1857. 

Woden:  February  5,  1899.  N.  L.  Packard,  C.  G.  Oxley,  E.  C.  Chevis, 
C.  W.  Hemstead,  T.  C.  Briggs,  J.  H.  Scull,  Mrs.  E.  M.  Remington,  Asa 
Lillie.     Dedication,  November  19,  1899. 

Wooster:  February  26,  1866.  R.  Wilkinson,  James  Barnett,  A.  J.  Bel- 
knap.    Dropped  from  Minutes  in  1886. 

Yankee  Settlement  (1848-1858),  York  (1858-1876)  since  then  Edgewood: 
Organized  March  5,  1848.  Pastors,  E.  B.  Turner,  1848-1853,  H.  N. 
Gates,  A.  Graves,  L.  P.  Mathews,  B.  M.  Amsden,  Charles  Hancock, 
P.  Gorton,  A.  S^  Kaye,  D.  D.  Kidd,  J.  W.  Elser,  S.  R.  Batty,  A.  J.  Ben- 
ton, H.  J.  Richardson,  M.  J.  P.  Thing.     Dedications,  1854  and  1892. 


Chapter   XVII 

WHO'S   WHO 

This  chapter  is  an  attempt  to  list  alphabetically  the  Pilgrim 
pastors  of  the  decades,  locating  each,  and  a  little  more  fully 
sketching  a  few.  The  list  is  not  complete  chiefly  because  the 
records  are  not.  For  a  number  of  years  the  Welsh  associa- 
tions were  not  reported  at  all.  Doubtless  some  have  been 
inadvertently  overlooked;  and  the  names  of  a  few  have  been 
purposely  omitted  because  they  simply  passed  through  the 
state,  and  their  ministry  was  of  no  significance  because  so 
brief. 

Of  necessity,  for  lack  of  space,  the  sketches  are  fragmentary, 
and  condensed  almost  to  nothingness.  Some,  however,  would 
have  been  a  little  more  complete  if  the  information  could  have 
been  secured.  We  looked  in  vain  through  the  Minutes,  the 
Year  Book,  and  the  Congregational  Quarterly  for  the  obitu- 
aries of  many  who  had  finished  their  labors  here.  We  have 
been  obliged  to  make  out  the  records  of  many  of  the  brethren 
by  simply  following  them  year  after  year  through  the  intri- 
cacies, inaccuracies,  and  contradictions  of  the  Minutes  and  the 
Year  Book.  So  the  things  written  in  this  chapter  are  only 
measurably  correct.  But  here  is  a  list  of  more  than  thirteen 
hundred  of  the  leaders  of  our  Pilgrim  hosts  in  Iowa,  and  of  the 
fields  in  which  they  wrought;  and  here  are  suggestions  of 
centuries  of  heroic  service  in  the  making  of  the  commonwealth, 
and  the  building  of  the  Kingdom. 

Abbott,  Ephraim,  E.  P.    Of  New  England  birth  and  education.    Pastor 
Cedar  Rapids  First,  1884-1886.    Later  in  New  England  and  California. 

Ablett,  John  C.    Pastor  at  Alton,  1894-1895  and  1897-1899.    Went  into 
business. 

363 


364  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Adams,  Calvin  C.    Bom  in  Virginia,  1813.     Montour,  1867-1874.    Died, 

Cedar  Falls,  October,  1906. 
Adams,  Ephraim.    One  of  the  Band.    See  Chapters  IV  and  XIII. 
Adams,  Harvey.    One  of  the  Band.    See  Chapters  IV  and  XII. 
Adams,  P.  R.    Only  pastorate  in  Iowa  at  Fontanelle,  1880-1881. 
Adkins,  J.  B.    Born  in  Iowa.    Graduate  Iowa  College,  Onawa,  1892-1895, 

Oskaloosa,  1908-. 
Aikman,  Joseph  G.    Perry,  Strawberry  Point  and  Fontanelle,  1889-1893, 

Went  to  the  Presbyterians. 
Albert,  John  H.   Born  in  Permsylvania.  Pastorate,  Green  Moimtain,  1884- 

1886.     Later  in  Minnesota. 
Albert,  Michael.    German  Extraction.    Kingsley,  1891-1894. 
Albright,  E.  H.     Bom  in  Iowa.     A  Cumberland  Presbyterian.     Congrega- 
tional work  at  Gaza  and  Clay,  1905-. 
Alcorn,  William  A.     Runnells  and  Earlville,  1904-1907. 
Alden,  Ebenezer.    One  of  the  Band.    See  Chapters  IV  and  XII. 
Alderson,  James.    A  primitive  Methodist.    Sabula,  Central  City,  Orchard, 

etc.,  1876-1886.     Died,  September,  1893. 
Allen,  A.  S.    Clear  Lake,  1868-1875.    See  Chapter  X. 
Allen,  Edward  P.    Born  Harpoot,  Turkey.    Kellogg  and  Stacj^Ue,  1888- 

1891. 
Allen,  Herbert  O.    Bom  in  Vermont.    Work  mostly  in  Ohio.    Osage,  1906-. 
Allen,  WUliam  W.     New  York,  1829.     Iowa  City,    1860-1863,   Council 

Bluffs,  1863-1865. 
Allender,  John.    Born,  New  London,  Conn.    Prairie  City,  Glenwood,  Red 

Oak,  1871-1887.     Died,  1907. 
Alvord,  Alanson.     Pastorates  in  Illinois.     Le  Claire,  1857-1858. 
Ambrose,  Matthias  A.     From  the  U.  B.  Church.     Belle  Plaine,  1882- 

1884. 
Amsden,  Benjamin  M.     Native  of  New  York.    Served  various  churches, 

Dubuque  Association,  Quasqueton,  Edgewood,  Strawberry  Point,  etc., 

from  1871  to  1893,  the  year  of  his  death. 
Anderson,  Frank  H.    Born  in  IlHnois,  1870.    Newell,  1905-1909.    Moline, 

111.,  1909-. 
Andridge,  Andrew  A.     One  of  the  men  raised  up  in  Iowa.     Hawarden, 

1885-1888. 
Anthony,    Charles   W.      Grandview,    Farmington,    Dickens   and    Genoa 

Bluffs,  1897-1904. 
Appleby,  Andrew  B.    Raised  in  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  but 

attended  Drury.    Newton,  1904-1910. 
Apthorp,  Rufus.    Native  of  Massachusetts  (1828).    De  Witt  and  Big  Rock, 

1871-1886.    Died  in  Ohio,  December,  1909, 


tWHO'S  WHO  365 

Apthorp,  William  P.  Born,  Quincy,  Mass.,  1806.  Denmark,  1836-1838. 
Oskaloosa,  Polk  City  and  Bowen's  Prairie,  1848-1866.  Died,  March, 
1883. 

Archer,  Marmaduke  D.  Bom  in  England  (1820).  Iowa  Churches,  Genoa 
Bluffs,  Wells,  Orient,  etc.,  1874-1890.    Died,  November,  1906. 

Armitage,  David  E.    Oto,  1897-1899,  then  went  into  business. 

Archibald,  Andrew  W.  Nevinville,  Fontanelle,  Stuart  and  Ottumwa, 
1876-1887.  Davenport  Edwards,  1888-1892;  then  went  to  New  England. 

Armstrong,  Fred  A.  Born  in  Tennessee  (1819).  Clay,  Brighton,  Bentons- 
port,  1849-1851.    Died  in  1899. 

Armstrong,  J.  H.    Terrill,  Union,  Dunlap,  1905-1910. 

Arnold,  Arthur  E.  Le  Mars,  1876-1881.  Fairfield,  1889-1890;  then  to 
Ilhnois. 

Arnold,  Seth  A.  Born  in  Ohio  (1839).  Graduate,  Iowa  College.  Wittem- 
berg.  Garden  Prairie,  Jewell,  Polk  City,  etc.,  1875-1891.    Died,  1907. 

Askin,  John.    Council  Bluffs,  Tabor,  1893-1904.    Later  in  South  Dakota. 

Atkinson,  John  L.  Postville,  Iowa  Falls,  Earlville,  1869-1873.  Missionary 
to  Japan.    Died,  December,  1908. 

Atkinson,  William  H.  Born  England  (1838).  Orchard,  Green  Mountain, 
Chester,  1876-1890.    Died,  December,  1907. 

Atkinson,  Robert  K.  Bethlehem  Davenport,  1907-1909.  Since  then  at 
Berea.    (Bethlehem  and  German  merged.) 

Avery,  Henry.  Bom  in  Ohio  (1831).  College  Springs,  1878-1888,  Mon- 
tour, 1889-1899.    Died,  August,  1909. 

Avery,  Wilham.  (Connecticut,  1816.)  Rhode  Island,  New  York,  Connec- 
ticut, Hampton,  Chapin,  1858-1875.    Died,  1885. 

Axtell,  Archie  G.  Alden,  1908-1910.  Then  went  into  A.  M.  A.  work  in 
Porto  Rico. 

Badger,  Alfred  S.  Came  from  Presbyterians  and  returned  after  pastorates 
at  Stuart  and  Hampton,  1886-1892. 

Baker,  Ariel  A.  Born  Enosburg,  Vt.  (1825).  Manchester,  Ames,  Eldora, 
Sloan,  Newell,  Kellogg,  Sergeant's  Bluffs,  Independence,  Washta,  Fair- 
fax, Silver  Creek,  Keck  and  Steamboat  Rock,  1867-1901.  Pastorates 
also  in  California  and  Nebraska.    Died,  May,  1903. 

Baker,  Joseph  D.    Danville,  1878-1882.    Returned  to  Illinois. 

Baldwin,  David  J.  MitcheU,  Iowa  Falls,  Sibley,  Kellogg,  1871-1886.  Died, 
January,  1910. 

Ball,  James  E.  Iowa,  1876.  Farmington,  1906-1909,  Robbinsdale,  Minn., 
1909-. 

Bangs,  Frederick.     Farmington,  1876-1878. 

Barber,  W.  C.  Prairie  City  and  Valley  Junction,  1902-1907.  Then  Anti- 
Saloon  work. 


366  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Barbour,  Thomas  W.    Gowie,  1892-1893.    Returned  to  Wisconsin. 

Barnes,  Henry  E.     Newton,  1864-1868.    Returned  to  Illinois. 

Barnes,  John  R.    Eldora,  Fayette,  Earlville,  1876-1882. 

Barker,  David  R.  College  Springs,  1869-1875.  Died  in  office,  October  22, 
1875. 

Barnett,  John  H.     Doon,  1906-1908. 

Barrett,  John  P.  Manchester,  1878-1880.  Returned  to  Illinois.  Resides 
at  Wheaton. 

Barrett,  Mandus.  Strawberry  Point,  Dubuque  Summit,  Nashua,  Whit- 
ing, etc.,  1891-1907. 

Barris,  James.  Born  in  Pennsylvania  (1800).  Salem,  1868-1874.  Died, 
August,  1874. 

Barrows,  Simon.  Home  Davenport,  1854-1865.  Awhile  Agent,  "Ameri- 
can and  Foreign  Christian  Union."  First  principal,  Des  Moines  High 
School,  1866-1867.    Irving,  1867-1870.     Died,  January,  1890. 

Barrows,  WilUam  H.  Born,  Connecticut,  1830.  Lansing,  Postville,  Cass, 
Hampton,  Stacyville,  Montour,  1868-1894.  Returned  to  Connecticut. 
Died,  October,  1902. 

Bartlett,  Enoch  N.  Newton,  1858-1860  and  1868-1869.  Later  supply 
work  from  Grinnell. 

Bashford,  Alfred  E.    Thompson,  MagnoHa,  Arion,  1899-1905. 

Baskerville,  Thomas.    Bloomfield,  1880-1882. 

Bastel,  F.  T.  Bohemian  Missionary  Iowa  City,  Luzerne,  etc.,  1891- 
1893. 

Battey,  Joel.  Native  of  Vermont  (1852).  National,  Garnavillo,  1880- 
1881.     Died,  July,  1882. 

Bauman,  Benjamin  R.  Born,  Lansing,  la.  (1874).  Davenport  German, 
1901-1903. 

Baumgardner,  Burdette  C.  Born  in  1868.  Newton,  1897-1900,  and  Val- 
ley Junction,  1902-1903.    Died,  July,  1903. 

Baxter,  George  W.  Knoxville,  Elkader,  1894-1905.  Then  a  pastorate 
in  the  South. 

Bayne,  Thomas.     New  Hampton,  1871-1875. 

Beach,  Samuel  J.  Born,  Ohio,  1850.  Corning,  Farragut,  Cedar  Falls, 
Clarion,  1875-1905.    Redfield,  S.  D.,  1904-1910;   Neligh,  Neb.,  1910-. 

Beard,  Joseph  R.    Pilgrim,  Ottumwa,  South,  Oto  and  Baxter,  1891-1904. 

Beardsley,  Frank  G.  Webster,  Jewell,  Salem,  Des  Moines  Greenwood, 
Rock  Rapids,  Harlan,  1895-1908.    Kansas  City,  Kan.,  1908- 

Beatty,  Squire  T.     Edgewood,  Monona,  1895-1902. 

Beacher,  George  H.     Newton,  1863-1864. 

Begg,  W.  P.  (Scotland  1843).  Tabor  CoUege,  Parkersburg,  Moville,  1904- 
1911. 


WHO'S   WHO  367 

Belknap,  Augustus  J.     Born,  Northfield,  la.,  1844.    Otley,  Rome,  Grundy 

Center,    1876-1881,    and    Farmington,    1893-1895.     Died,     Soldiers' 

Home,  September,  1902. 
Bell,  John  D.     Monticello,  1868-1870. 
Bellsmith,  Louis  C.    Polk  City,  1893-1894. 
Beman,  Albert  M.     Sergeant's  Bluffs,  Sloan,  Spirit  Lake,  Sioux  Rapids, 

Peterson,  Corning,  1878-1896.    Missouri,  1896-. 
Bennett,  Ethan  O.     Born,  New  Jersey,  1824.     Anamosa,  Crawfordsville, 

Columbus  City,  1854-1860.    Died,  November,  1899. 
Bennett,  WiUiam  P.     Groton,  Mass.,  1836.     Bradford  Academy,   1865- 

1870,  Mason  City,  1870-1874,  Ames,  1880-1884,  Crete,  Neb.,  1875,  to 

death,  March,  1896. 
Bent,  George.    Lansing,  Burr  Oak,  Otho,  1858-1873. 
Benton,    Adoniram   J.      Quasqueton,    Dickens,    Edgewood,    Wittemberg, 

Larchwood,  Fayette,  1894-. 
Benton,  Samuel  A.    Anamosa  and  Cass,   1856-1861.    Died  at  Anamosa, 

November  20,  1865. 
Berry,  Edward  A.    Cedar  Rapids  First,  1896-1903. 

Berry,  Loren  F.    Ottumwa,  1890-1898.    Died,  May  6,  1900.    See  Chap- 
ter XIL 
Beaver,  Charles  H.    Pastorates  in  Nebraska.    Anamosa,  1905-1911. 
Bevin,  Phillip.    Business  man  at  Sabula,  who  developed  into  a  preacher  in 

the  '40s. 
Bickers,  WiUiam  H.    Began  work  in  Iowa  at  Danville  in  1910. 
Bickford,  Isaac  B.     (Porter,  Me.,  1847.)     MethodistE  piscopal  training. 

Radcliffe,  Buffalo  Center,  Lakeview,  1903-1907.     Died  at   Lakevlew, 

January,  1907. 
Bidwell,  John  B.     Perry,  Decorah,  1889-1893.     Joined  the  "Christian" 

church. 
Bing,  Nelson  J.    Britt  Scandinavian,  1897-1899. 
Bingham,  Charles  M.    (Geneseo,  N.  Y.,  1828.)    Monroe,  1871-1874.    Died, 

May,  1906. 
Bingham,  Joel  S.     (Cornwall,  Vt.,  October  1815.)     Dubuque  and  Traer, 

1870-1890.    See  Chapter  XII. 
Bisco,  George  D.     Tipton,  1868-1875. 

Bissell,  Charles  H.    Traer,  Humboldt,  Belle  Plaine,  1875-1889. 
Bissell,  Jonathan  E.      Newton,  McGregor,  1880-1887. 
Bixby,  T.  K.    School  teacher;  developed  into  a  preacher.    Rockford,  1872- 

1873.     Died,  March  13,  1873. 
Black,  W.  Reid.    Magnolia  and  Harrison  (Dunlap),  1864-1866. 
Blakeley,  David.    StacyviUe,  1887-1889.    Returned  to  the  Presbyterians. 
Blakeman,  Phineas.     Maquoketa,  1859-1861. 


368  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Blakeslee,  Newton  T,  (Chagrin  Falls,  O.,  1841.)  Mason  City,  1874-1876. 
Life  work  in  Wisconsin.    Died,  May,  1909. 

Blanchard,  John  L.  Oakland,  Miles,  New  Hampton,  Le  Mars,  1894-1906. 
Harlan,  19 10-. 

Blanchard,  John  T.  Born,  Michigan,  1853.  Monticello,  Webster  City, 
1886-1895.    Sloan,  1907,  to  death,  October,  1908. 

Blanford,  Levi  D.  Baxter,  Rockwell,  1906-1911.  Mrs.  Anna  Blanford, 
Chapin,  1909-. 

Bloom,  Karl  J.    Wesley  Scandinavian,  1897-1903. 

Bloomer,  Joseph.  McGregor,  1857-1858.  Died,  February  21,  1858.  See 
Chapter  VII. , 

Blumer,  Adam.    Grandview,  German,  1857-1859. 

Boardman,  Charles  P.  (Watertown,  N.  Y.,  1859.)  Magnolia,  West  Bur- 
lington, Humboldt,  Marshalltown,  Red  Oak,  1887-1906.  Died,  Sep- 
tember, 1908. 

Boardman,  Horace  E.  (Rutland,  Vt.,  1835.)  Fort  Dodge,  Earlville,  1863- 
1865.     Died,  February,  1888. 

Bockoven,  WiUiam  H.     Glenwood,  1902-1904. 

Bogges,  J.  H.    Shenandoah,  1887-1888.    Cresco,  1894-1895. 

Bohn,  F.  H.      Anita,  Hiteman,  1904-1909. 

Bolin,  Nichol  J.     Ottumwa,  Swedish,  1888-1890. 

Boiler,  Benjamin  F.    Davenport  Edwards,  1893-1894.    Later  in  California. 

Booth,  Milton  H.    Madison  Co.  First,  1902-1904. 

Bordwell,  Daniel  N.  Born,  Lenox,  N.  Y.,  1828.  Le  Claire,  Lansing,  1858- 
1862.  27th  Iowa  Regiment,  1862-1864,  Charles  City,  1864-1869, 
Webster  City,  Golden  Prairie,  Cass,  1876-1888.  Died,  September, 
1888.     See  Chapter  XI. 

Boss,  Thomas  M.  Bom,  New  London,  Conn.,  1838.  Lyons,  1866-1870. 
Died,  July,  1897. 

Bosworth,  U.  C.    Creston  Pilgrim,  1878-1880. 

Bovey,  Wesley  E.  (Virginia,  1867.)  Came  from  the  U.  B.  Church.  Traer, 
1903-1909.     Later  in  Ohio. 

Bowdish,  Austin  C.  Graduate,  Yankton  and  Chicago  Seminary,  Sibley, 
1901-1904. 

Bowen,  Thomas  F.  English  birth,  Bangor  Seminary.  Emmetsburg,  1888- 
1890.    Back  to  EngUsh  Church. 

Bowers,  Bertha.    Madison  Co.  First,  1899-1900,  Orient,  1900-1901. 

Bowers,  John  M.  Native  of  Pennsylvania.  (1835.)  Parkersburg,  Earl- 
ville, 1874-1881.    Died,  January,  1891. 

Boynton,  Charles  F.    Ft.  Dodge,  Otho,  Eldora,  1864-1873. 

Boynton,  Lyman  D.  Waukon,  Parkersburg,  Nashua,  1868-1878.  Went 
to  the  Universalists. 


WHO'S  WHO  369 

Bradley,  Dan  F.  Pastorates,  Ohio  and  South  Dakota,  1883-1892;  Grand 
Rapids,  Mich,  1892-1902.  President  Iowa  College,  1902-1905;  Cleve- 
land Pilgrim,  1905-. 

Brainard,  Frank  G.    Parkersburg,  1893-1894.    Returned  to  Illinois. 

Brakemeyer,  Gustav.    Grandview,  1888-1892. 

Brande,  Alfred  G.    Charles  City,  1882-1883,  Tipton,  1885-1888. 

Brandt,  Wesley  L.    Born,  Ohio,  1842.    Ohio  Regiment.    Pastorates  1889- 

1905,  at  Baxter,  Reinbeck,   Doon,   Kellogg,  Mitchellville  and  Jewell. 
Died,  March  15,  1905. 

Bray,  WilUam  L.  Born,  England,  1832.  Newton,  Marshalltown,  CHnton, 
Oskaloosa,  Sheldon,  1870-1908.    Alton,  1910-. 

Breckenridge,  Daniel  M.  Ft.  Dodge,  1874-1878,  Keosauqua,  1879-1885, 
Bellevue,  1887-1890.    Retired. 

Breed,  Dwight  P.  Creston,  1895-1900;  general  missionary,  1900-1907, 
agent  College,  1907-. 

Breed,  Merle  A.  (Michigan,  1859.)  Three  years  president  Benzonia  Col- 
lege.   Pastorates  in  Massachusetts,  Monticello,  1904-. 

Breed,  Reuben  L.  Born,  Michigan,  1874.  Pastorates,  Illinois,  Minnesota, 
and  Wisconsin.  Fort  Dodge,  1905-1909.  Charity  work  in  New 
York. 

Brenneke,  Frederick.     Minden,  1896-1900. 

Brereton,  James  E.  Born,  IlUnois,  1857.  Pastorates  in  Iowa,  Waverly, 
1895-1908.     Emmetsburg,  1908-. 

Brewer,  James.  Born,  Massachusetts,  1821.  Gladbrook  without  charge, 
1882-1890.     Died,  January,  1896. 

Briggs,  Erastus  T.  Pastorates,  1905-1908  at  Woden,  Ocheyedan  and 
Westfield. 

Briggs,  Walter  A.    (Michigan,  1863.)    Toledo,  1904-1906,   Stuart,  1906-. 

Brink,  Lee  A.  (Waukon,  1862.)  Pastorates,  1890-1893,  Elma  and  Mit- 
chell.   Waterloo,  1909-. 

Brinscombe,  George.     Cass,  1905-1908. 

Brintnall,  Loren  W.  (Vermont,  1828.)  In  Iowa,  1867-1896.  Winthrop, 
Independence,  Monticello,  Sheldon,  Ashton,  Fairfax,  Hartwick.  Died, 
in  Washington,  May  3,  1900. 

Brintnall,  Walter  A.     Ocheyedan,  Little  Rock,  Ogden,  Westfield,  1896- 

1906.  Wisconsin,  1906-. 

Bronson,  George  F.     (Connecticut,  1821.)     Postville,  1869-1872.     Died, 

February,  1883. 
Brooks,  Hans.    Pastor  Scandinavian  Church,  Britt,  1900-1903. 
Brooks,   Raymond  C.      (Tabor,   September,   1869.)     ElUott,    1893-1894. 

Taught  in  Tabor,  1895-1896.     Later  pastor  in  California,  Oregon  and 

Washington. 

25 


370  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Brooks,  William  E.    (Maine,  1835.)    Muscatine,  1893-1895.    Died,  Decem- 
ber, 1906. 
Brooks,  William  M.    (Ohio,  1835.)    President  Tabor  College,  1857-1896. 

See  Chapter  IX. 
Brooks,  WilUam  M.    Nora  Springs,  Earlville,  Union,  Ogden,  Eldon,  1874- 

1886.     Deceased. 
Bross,  Harmon.    1867-1873.    After  1873  in  Nebraska,  General  Missionary, 

superintendent  and  pastor. 
Brown,  Charles  O.    Dubuque,  1886-1891. 

Brown,  George  E.    (Scotland,  1854.)    Silver  Creek  and  Keck,  1910-. 
Brown,  Israel.     (Pennsylvania,  1843.)    New  Hampton,  Traer,  1887-1905. 

Died,  March,  1891. 
Brown,  John  A.    Riceville,  1884-1890.    Supply  at  Victor  and  Green  Island. 
Brown,  John  L.    Kellogg,  Sioux  City  Pilgrim,  Rodney,  1896-1901.    Went 

into  business. 
Brown,  Simeon.     (Pennsylvania,  1808.)     Ottumwa,  1864-1867.     Died  in 

1867. 
Brown,  Victor  F.    Waverly,  Strawberry  Point,  1894-1897. 
Bruce,  Charles  R.    New  Hampton,  1883-1887.    Later  in  newspaper  work. 
Brush,  Samuel  R.    Percival,  1897-1900. 
Buck,  John  W.    Polk  City,  Eddyville,  Gilbert,  1895-1906.    Later  Missouri 

and  CaUfomia. 
Buck,  Samuel  J.    See  Chapter  XV. 
Bufkin,  Lindley  H.    (Indiana,  1842.)    TJ.  B.  Connection.    Runnells,  1897- 

1901. 
Bull,  Richard  B.    (Connecticut,  1820.)    Marshalltown,  1869-1870.    Died, 

May,  1888. 
Bullen,  Henry  L.    (Massachusetts,  1820.)    Professor  Iowa  College,  1850- 

1858.     Durant,  1860-1868. 
Bullock,  Mortimer  A.    (Michigan,  1851.)    Ohvet  and  Oberlin.    Iowa  City, 

1888-1900.     Lincohi,  Neb.,  1900-. 
Bundy,  W.  R.     (Ohio,  1846.)     U.  B.  Conference,  Dinsdale,  1904-1908; 

Cass,  1908-. 
Burch,   Henry  H.     Methodist  Episcopal  training.     Milford,   Primghar, 

Rock  Rapids,  1898-1906. 
Burdick,  Charles  A.     Blencoe,  1906-1907. 
Burgess,  Richard  M.     Exira,  1875-1876. 

Burleigh,  Benjamin  W.    Hawarden,  McGregor,  1898-1901.    Perry,  1908-. 
BurUng,  James  P.     (Eldora,  1866.)    Iowa  College,  Hawarden,  1900-1907. 

Des  Moines,  Greenwood,  1907-. 
Bumard,  WiUiam  H.     (Cornwall,  Eng.,   1829.)     Mt.  Pleasant,  Algona, 

Miles  and  Preston,  1869-1872.    Died,  January,  1902. 


WHO'S  WHO  371 

Bui-nett,  C.  C.     Fairfield,  1872-1878. 

Bumham,  Charles.    (Pelham,  N.  H.,  1812.)    Brighton,  Clay,  Albia,  Knox- 

ville,  1841-1856.    Died,  July,  1883. 
Burr,  Horatio  M.    College  Springs,  1894-1896. 
Burton,  Nathan  L.    (Plymouth,  111.,  1847.)    Eagle  Grove,  Otho,  1882-1887; 

pastor  at  large,  1887-1889;  Tipton,  Postville,  1889-1892.    Returned  to 

Illinois. 
Burton,  R.  Washington.    (Indiana,  1868.)    Glenwood,  1909-1910. 
Buss,  William  H.    BurUngton  and  West  Burlington,  1882-1887.    Went  to 

Nebraska. 
Butcher,  William  T.    (Anita,  la.,  1877.)    Hartwick,  Salem,  1906-1911. 
Butler,  Elmer  W.     Mitchell,  1884^1886.     Later  pastorates  and  Sunday 

school  work  in  the  South. 
Butterfield,  George.    (Native  of  New  Hampshire.)    Elk  River,  etc.,  1857- 

1859.    Served  in  "Gray  Beard"  Regiment  during  the  war. 
Byers,  WiUiam  L.    (Dayton,  O.,  1866.)    U.  B.  training.    Keokuk,  1895,  to 

his  death,  November,  1900. 
Cadwalader,  M.  Jones.     Georgetown,  1881-1883. 
Cady,  CorneUus  S.     (Orwell,  Vt.,  1813.)    Bowen's  Prairie,  Cass,  Maquo- 

keta,  1857-1870.    Died,  September,  1889. 
Cady,  George  L.    Native  of  Michigan.      Iowa  City,  1900-1905;  Dubuque, 

1905-1908.    Then  to  Boston. 
Cady,  WilUam  J.     Native  of  Michigan.     Graduate  Chicago  Seminary. 

Charles  City,  1908-. 
Cain,  Francis  E.    Elma,  Shell  Rock,  1905-1907. 
Cakebread,  George.    Mt.  Pleasant,  1874-1876. 
Calhoun,  Francis  E.    Madison  Co.  First.    Fellowship,  Beulah  and  Grand 

River,  1905-1906. 
Calhoun,  Newell  M.     Creston  and  Nevinville,  1873-1876.     Returned  to 

New  England. 
Canfield,   Philo.     (Bridgeport,   Conn.,    1816.)     Washington,    1868-1871, 

where  he  died,  February  11,  1879. 
Canfield,  Thomas  H.     (New  York,  1810.)     At  Bellevue,  Lansing,  Lucas 

Grove,  etc.,  in  '50s  and  '60s.    Died,  May,  1904. 
Carlton,  Albert  V.     (Wisconsin,  February,  1860.)    U.  B.  Minister.    Con- 
gregational pastorate,  Rowan  and  Harvey,  1906-. 
CarUsle,  Charles  B.    Winthrop,  1894-1898. 
Carpenter,  Elbridge  G.     (New  York,  1829.)    Corning,  Stuart,  Winthrop, 

Golden  Prairie,  1872-1879.    Died,  August,  1879. 
Carson,  J.  Wilham.    Dunlap,  1893-1897.    Went  to  Nebraska. 
Carr,  Edwin  S.    (Native  of  IlHnois.)    Lyons,  Humboldt,  Ft.  Dodge,  1885- 

1894,  Cherokee,  1907-1909. 


372  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Carter,  Ferdinand.  (Native  of  Michigan.)  Clear  Lake,  1893-1897.  Later 
in  Ohio  and  Colorado. 

Carter,  Lucy  W.  (Boston,  1873.)  Lamoille  and  Eddyville,  1908-1910. 
Went  to  Kansas. 

Case,  Albert  M.  Clear  Lake,  Waverly,  1878-1884.  Monticello,  1895- 
1898.     Retired. 

Case,  Horatio  M.  (Denmark,  1842.)  Denmark  Academy.  Civil  War. 
Hastings,  Stuart,  Emmetsburg,  1883-1898.  Residence  Emmetsburg, 
1898-. 

Chaffee,  Frank  M.    Stuart,  1902-1905.    Entered  the  lecture  field. 

Chalmers,  J.  R.    Sioux  City  First,  1879-1883.    Deceased. 

Chamberlain,  Joshua  M.  (Massachusetts,  1825.)  Dubuque,  Des  Moines, 
Eddyville,  Iowa  College,  1858-1897.    See  Chapter  XII. 

Chambers,  Charles  A.    Parkersburg,  Rowan,  Bellevue,  Otho,  1901-1911. 

Chambers,  George  R.  Jewell,  Ellsworth,  Lincoln,  Rockford,  Oilman, 
Newburg,  1901-1907. 

Champlin,  Ohver  P.  (Connecticut,  1843.)  Emmetsburg,  Corning,  1884- 
1887.     Later  Minnesota  and  North  Dakota. 

Chandler,  Joseph.  (Connecticut,  1819.)  Strawberry  Point,  1880-1887. 
Died,  July,  1892. 

Chapman,  Richard  K.  (Chester,  Eng.,  1861.)  Mitchell,  1908-1909,  Trip- 
oh,  1909-. 

Chase,  E.  B.  (New  Hampshire,  October,  1847.)  Lyons,  1891-1892.  Later 
in  Minnesota,  Illinois  and  Ohio. 

Chase,  James  B.  (Woodstock,  Vt.,  1837.)  Council  Bluflfs,  1865-1868; 
Cherokee,  Sioux  City,  Pilgrim,  Hull  Church  and  Academy,  Iowa  Falls, 
Toledo,  Ocheyedan,  Sergeant  Bluff's,  Sioux  City  Riverside,  Aureha, 
Greenville  and  Herdland,  1880-1907.  Organized  twenty-four  churches 
and  received  to  membership  1223.    Became  Presbyterian,  1907. 

Chase,  Henry  L.  (Vermont,  1832.)  Dyersville,  1867-1870;  Green  Moun- 
tain, 1870-1882.     Died,  March  1,  1905. 

Cheney,  Burton  H.  (Michigan,  1873.)  Wesleyan  Methodist.  Monona, 
1906-1910.     Winthrop,  1910-. 

Chevis,  Ernest  C.  (England,  1863.)  Woden,  Berwick,  Webster,  Ionia, 
1901-1909.     Later  in  Illinois. 

Childs,  Edward  P.    Clarion,  Anita,  1885-1893.    Became  an  M.  D. 

Childs,  Truman  D.     Toledo,  1874-1875.    Returned  to  New  England. 

Chittenden,  Ezra  P.    Sioux  City  First,  1883-1885.    Later  in  Illinois. 

Clapp,  Charles  W.  (Massachusetts,  1817.)  Professor  Iowa  College,  1864- 
1871.    Supphed  at  Chester  Center,  1866-1869.    Died,  August,  1884. 

Clark,  Allen  Lewis.  South  Ottumwa,  Agency,  1889-1897.  Later  in  Min- 
nesota. 


WHO'S  WHO  373 

Clark,  Allen  C.     Wilton,  1868-1872. 

Clarke,  E.     Bellevue,  1861-1862. 

Clark,  H.  L.     WilUamsburg,  1869-1874. 

Clark,  Nelson.     (Vermont,  1813.)     Dartmouth  and  Andover.     National 

and  Gamavillo,  1879-1880.    Died,  March,  1880. 
Clark,  Orlando.     (Indiana,  1824.)     Lansing,  Iowa  Falls,  Ottumwa,  1867- 

1874.    Bhnd  Asylum  to  death,  1876. 
Cleveland,  Edward.     (Canada,   1804.)     Polk  City,  Wilton,  1860-1862, 

Waverly,  Dunlap,  1879-1882.    Died,  September,  1886. 
Clossen,  J.  T.    Fayette,  Bowens,  Prairie  1868-1873. 

Clute,  N.  M.    Presbyterian.   Supplied  Charles  City,  1878-1881.    Deceased. 
Clyde,  John  P.     (Waucoma,  1869.)     In  Iowa  College,  supplied  at  Van 

Cleve,  Union,  etc.    Pastorates  Dunlap,  Eldora,  Muscatine,  1897-1905. 

Later  South  Dakota  and  Nebraska. 
Cobb,  Henry  W.     (Massachusetts,  1815.)     Le  Claire,  Tipton,  1851-1855. 

Later  in  Wisconsin  and  Illinois.    Died,  May  16,  1889. 
Colburn,  C.  S.     "Singing  EvangeUst."  Two  years,  1907-1909,  pastor  at 

Percival. 
Coburn,  WilUam  I.    South  Ottumwa,  1888-1889. 
Cochran,  Samuel  D.     (Pennsylvania,  1812.)    Grinnell,  1863-1869.     Died, 

October  5,  1904. 
Coe,  Wales.    Crawfordsville,  1857-1858. 

Cokely,  Benjamin  F.    Perry,  1900-1903.    Died,  Galesburg,  111.,  1904. 
Colby,  John  S.    (New  Hampshire,  1851.)    Des  Moines  North  Park,  1897- 

1898.     Died,  November,  1898. 
Cole,  Thomas  W.    Sheldon,  1888-1889.    Returned  to  Wisconsin. 
Coleman,  George  A.     (Pennsylvania,  1843.)     Corning,  1880-1884.     Died, 

May  3,  1885. 
Coleman,  WilUam  L.    (Orange  County,  N.  Y.,  1817.)    Pastorates  in  Iowa, 

1847-1881.    See  Chapters  VII  and  XIII. 
Comin,  John.    Des  Moines  North  Park,  1899-1908.    Went  to  Wisconsin. 
Comley,   Ezra.     Tyson's    Mill,    1868-1870.     Residence    there    without 

charge,  1870-1878. 
Comstock,  Davillo  W.     (New  York,  1831.)     Oakland,  Sergeant    Bluffs, 

1884-1886.    Died,  November,  1903. 
Conrad,  George  A.     Kingsley,  1896-1898.    Later  in  Nebraska. 
Copeland,  Jonathan.     Dunlap,  Shelbyville,  1875-1880. 
Cook,  Charles  H.     De  Witt,  1884-1885. 
Cook,  Joseph  T.    (Ohio,  1826.)    Eddyville,  Des  Moines  Plymouth,  1853- 

1859,  Maquoketa,  1869-1872.    Died  at  Sabula,  April  18,  1897. 
Cook,    Levi    H.    (Wisconsin,    July,  1852.)    Cowrie,   1894-1896.    Died, 

August  27,  1896. 


374  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Cookman,  Isaac.  (Indiana,  1853.)  Ottumwa  South,  1904-1907.  Went  to 
Oklahoma. 

Cooley,  F.  M.  (Wisconsin,  1833.)  Wesleyan  Methodist.  Britt,  Chero- 
kee, 1878-1887.    Died,  June,  1891. 

Cooley,  H.  George.  Alton,  Lakeview,  Ogden,  Bondurant,  1896-1900. 
Went  into  business. 

Cooley,  Oramel  W.  (Massachusetts,  1816.)  Glenwood,  1865-1868.  Res- 
idence to  time  of  death.  May,  1889. 

Cooper,  Joseph  C.  (Plymouth,  Mass.,  1820.)  Salem,  Hillsboro,  Cincin- 
nati.    Died,  August,  1872. 

Core,  Harley  R.  Iowa  boy.  Iowa  College,  Harmony,  Rossie,  1901-1902, 
Rockford,  1908-. 

Corwin,  C.  L.     Grundy  Center,  1878-1880. 

Cossar,  Andrew  O.  Iowa  Falls,  1888-1889.  Later  in  Missouri  and 
CaUfornia. 

Couchman,  Thomas  B.  From  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Chester 
Center,  1901-1903.  Popejoy,  Berwick,  1903-1907.  Independence, 
1907-. 

Countryman,  Asa.  (New  York,  1827.)  UniversaUst,  1853-1857.  Iowa 
Falls,  Newell,  Parkersburg,  Jewell,  1877-1885.    Died,  August,  1906. 

Covey,  J.  H.     Grant,  1871-1875. 

Cowan,  John  W.  Tabor,  1885-1894.  Eldora,  Newton,  1898-1901.  Crete, 
Neb.,  1901-. 

Cragin,  Charles  C.  (Rhode  Island,  1841.)  McGregor,  1875-1883.  Later 
pastorates,  Illinois  and  California. 

Craig,  Daniel.  Native  of  West  Virginia.  Brighton,  1864^1868.  Later  at 
"CoUege  Farm." 

Cramer,  Frank  L.    "Settlement  Work"  in  Des  Moines,  1896-1911. 

Crane,  Edward  P.  Central  City,  Emmetsburg,  Brighton,  De  Witt,  Mit- 
chell, 1885-1895. 

Crang,  Frederick.  (England.)  Church  of  England.  Sm-geon,  British 
Navy.  In  practice  in  New  York  and  IlUnois.  Began  preaching  in  1866, 
Columbus,  City;  Franklin  1867-1873.  Died  in  Oregon,  September, 
1906. 

Crawford,  Otis  D.  (Dubuque,  1842.)  Three  years  in  army  service. 
Wounded  at  Vicksburg.  One  year  at  Iowa  College,  Hampton,  1872- 
1874.  Nevin,  Good  Hope,  Orient,  Gem  Point,  Polk  City,  Hartwick, 
1900-1904. 

Crawford,  Sidney.  (Massachusetts,  1841.)  Lyons,  1875-1885.  Went 
South  and  then  back  to  Massachusetts. 

Cressman,  Abraham  A.  (Pennsylvania,  1849.)  Farragut,  1904-1906. 
Returned  to  Nebraska. 


WHO'S   WHO  375 

Crofts,  George  W.  (Illinois,  1842.)  Council  Bluffs,  1885-1892.  Beatrice, 
Neb.,  1892-1905.    Died,  West  Point,  Neb.,  May,  1909. 

Croker,  George  H.  (England,  1863.)  Whiting,  Larchwood,  Green  Moun- 
tain, 1893-1906.    Retired  to  farm. 

Croker,  John.  (England,  1857.)  Cincinnati,  Golden,  Kingsley,  Lakeview, 
1888-1900.     Went  to  Nebraska. 

Cross,  John.  (Massachusetts,  1797.)  Residence  College  Springs,  1860  to 
time  of  death  in  1885. 

Cross,  Moses  K.  (Danvers,  Mass.,  1812.)  Tipton,  Washington,  Waverly, 
1855-1871.    Died,  March  12,  1902.    See  Chapter  XIII. 

Crossland,  George  E.  (Ohio,  1861.)  Cincinnati,  1899-1900.  Died,  Decem- 
ber 6,  1903. 

Crosswell,  Micah  S.    Independence,  Hull,  1884-1887. 

Cruzan,  John  A.  Early  life  at  McGregor,  Charles  City,  1872-1873.  Later 
in  Honolulu. 

Cumings,  John  M.  (Ohio,  1848.)  Percival,  Exira,  Spencer,  Anita,  Dun- 
lap,  Sheldon,  Baxter,  Denmark,  1874-1910.  Farragut,  1910-,  See 
Chapter  XVI. 

Cummings,  Origin.  (Vermont,  1812.)  One  of  the  founders  of  Tabor.  Per- 
cival and  Exira,  1861-1864.    Died,  August,  1864. 

Curtis,  Lucius.  (Connecticut,  1812.)  Lyons,  1871-1874.  Died,  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  February,  1901. 

Cushman,  Charles  E.  Born  in  Grinnell,  June,  1870.  Iowa  College,  Avoca, 
Victor,  Anita,  1901-1911. 

Cushman,  Job.  (Massachusetts,  1797.)  Started  Iowa  M.  R.  Fund.  Res- 
idence, Grinnell,  1867  to  death  in  1878. 

Cutler,  William  A.  Of  Jacksonville,  111.  Clear  Lake,  1882-1883.  Later 
in  Minnesota. 

Dana,  Malcom.  (Connecticut,  December,  1869.)  Maquoketa,  1904-1909. 
Returned  to  New  England. 

Dane,  Charles.    Quasqueton,  Center  Point,  1872-1877. 

DarUng,  Marc  W.  (New  York,  1844.)  Sioux  City  First,  1886-1900. 
Blenco,  111.,  1900-1910. 

Dascomb,  Harry  N.  (Woodstock,  Vt.,  1870.)  Port  Huron,  Mich.,  1900- 
1907.    Grinnell,  1907-1910.    Cleveland,  Ohio,  1910-. 

Davidson,  David  E.  (Connecticut,  1815.)  Monona,  1854-1863.  Grinnell 
residence,  1870-1883.    Died,  1886. 

Davidson,  William  E.  Algona,  1888-1896.  From  that  date  to  1911  in 
Wisconsin. 

Davis,  Increase  S,  (Massachusetts,  1897.)  New  England  pastor,  twenty- 
eight  years,    Nevin,  1860-1864. 

Davis,  M.  E.    Lgng  Greek  (Weigh),  J87S-1881, 


376  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Da\-ies,  Daniel  D.    Ottumwa  South  (now  Ph-mouth\  1901-1904. 

Davies,  James.    Salem,  1S91-1S95. 

Davis,  Joseph  W.    MonticeUo,  1891-1895.    Also  a  few  months  at  Keosau- 

qua. 
Day,  Ernest  E.    Native  of  Minnesota.    Northfield  College,  Spencer,  1902- 

1909;  Cedar  FaUs.  1909-. 
Dealdn.  George  B.    Peterson.  Prairie  City,  1904-1906. 
Dean,  Benjamin  A.    Gama^'illo,  Sibley  and  "region  round  about,"  1869- 

187S. 
Dean,  Edward  B.    (India,  1S66.)    Chnton,  1899-1905.    Northfield,  Minn., 

1905-. 
Dean,  Frederick  A.    De  Witt,  Strawberrj-  Point,  1901-1905. 
DeForest,  Henr>-  S.    Native  of  New  York.     Des  Moines,  Council  Bluffs, 

Waterloo,  1S66-1S7S.    See  Chapter  XII. 
DeLano,  Marcus.     From  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.     Rodney,  1892- 

1S93.    Returned  to  the  Methodists. 
Delevan,  G.  E.    Maquoketa,  1856-1857. 
De  Long,  T.    Weston,  Hastings,  1880-1880. 
De  Mond,  Abraham  L.    Buxton,  1905-1910. 
Denney,  Wilson.    (Aurora,  HI.,  1858.)    Chnton,  1886-1889;  Charles  City, 

1898-1907.     Cedar  Rapids,  1907-. 
Depew,  Amett.    De  Witt,  1895-1898.    Back  to  lUinois. 
DeRiemer,  Wilham  E.     (lUinois,  1839.)     Celyon,  1867-1878.    Denmark, 

New  Hampton,  MUes,  etc.,  1882-1890. 
Dettmers,  Carl  A.    Bom  in  Germany.     America,  1891.    Muscatine  Ger- 
man, 1904-. 
Dickenson,  Samuel  F.    (Massachusetts,  July,  1839.)    Newton,  1884-1890. 

Died  in  Colorado,  August  7,  1897. 
Dikeman,  Charles  F.     (Prussia,  1847.)     Hillsboro,  Salem,  Nora  Springs, 

Rockford,  Forest  City,  1874-1887. 
Dickerson,  Orson  C.    Boonsboro,  Garden  Prairie,  1S70-1878.    Returned 

to  rUinois. 
Dickinson,  Daniel  S.    Marion,  1858-1860. 

Dickinson,  George  R.    Cedar  Rapids,  1892-1896.    Returned  to  New  Eng- 
land. 
Dilley,  .\lex  B.     (Pennsylvania,  1819.)     Bentonsport,  1849-1852.     Later, 

New  York,  Pennsjdvania  and  Florida.    Died,  September  29,  1893. 
Dimon,  Ohver.    Keosauqua,  1853-1855.    Carried  to  New  England  home 

to  die. 
Dodd,  Augustus  R.     Wesleyan  Meth.     College  Springs,  Montour,  1896- 

1906. 
Donaldson,  Da\-id.    Ocheyedan,  1894-1896. 


WHO'S  WHO  377 

Dom,  William  H.    New  Hampton,  German,  1893-1899. 
Dorsey,  G.  X.    Quasqueton,  1878-1880. 

Douglass,  Clinton.     (Cornwall,  Vt.,  1845.)     Civil  War;    American  Mis- 
sionary work,  Rockwell,  Des  Moines  Pilgrim,  1890-1899.  Died,  Ceres, 

Cal.,  December,  1906. 
Douglass,  Francis  J.    (Connecticut,  1832.)    Missionan.'  to  Jamaica,  Toledo, 

Union,  Humboldt,  Ames,  Olds,  1882-1899.    Died,  May,  1909. 
Douglass,  Harlan  Paul.     (Osage,  1871.)    Iowa  College.    Blairsburg,  Man- 
son,  Ames,  1891-1900.    Later,  Springfield,  Mo.;   American  Missionary 

Association  superintendent;  American  Missionarv' Association  secretarj'. 
Douglass,  Roscoe  D.    (Wisconsin,  1876.)    Iowa  College.    Victor,  Dunlap, 

1901-1908,  Oro\Tlle,  Cal.,  1908-. 
Douglass,  Xewell  F.    Newell,  Gamer,  Eagle  Grove,  1893-1899.    Went  to 

Episcopalians. 
Douglass,  Thomas.    Fort  Dodge,  Durant,  1872-1878. 
Douglass,  Truman  O.     (Illinois,  1842.)    Osage,  1868-18S2.    H.  M.  Secre- 

tar\-,  1882-1907.    Associate,  1907-. 
Douglass,  T.  Or^-ille,  Jr.    (Osage,  1873.)    Iowa  College.    Davenport  Beth., 

Eagle  Grove,  1897-1903.    Des  Moines  North  Park,  1910-. 
Downs,  Charles  A.    Little  Rock,  1902-1904. 
Drake,  Francis  E.    Eagle  Grove,  Belle  Plaine,  1899-1903. 
Drake,  Marj-  E.    Evangelistic  and  missionary  work,  1S94-1896. 
Drew,  Charles  E.    Salem,  Strawberry-  Point,  Dan^•ille,  1899-1907. 
Dungan,  George  W.    FontaneUe,  1879-1880. 
Dungan,  Thomas  A.     Grinnell,  assistant  pastor,  1908-1911. 
Dunham,  Warren.    (Vermont,  1822.)    Episcopal  and  Methodist  Episcopal. 

Larchwood   Berwick,   Wittemberg,   Kellogg,    Gem   Point,  1S88-1S96. 

Died  in  Wyo.,  Julj',  1908. 
Dunton,  Abram  L.     Lamoille,  Shell  Rock,  Winthrop,  Gilbert,  Belmond, 

1895-1904. 
Durant,  Edward.   Weaver.  Oak  Grove,  189.3-1896.    Left  the  denomination. 
Dutton,  Aaron.    Preached  for  six  months  at  Burhngton  in  1S43. 
Dutton,  Horace.    Edd\-\Tlle,  1868-1870. 
Dutton,  Thomas.     (Connecticut,   1812.)     Georgia,  lU.,  Farmington  and 

Bentonsport,  in  1843.     Died,  March,  1885. 
D^ght,  M.  Everett.    (Hadley,  Mass.,  1841.)    Fairfield,  1879-lSSS,  Died, 

New  York,  September,  1907. 
Dj'as,  Joseph  P.     (Massachusetts,  1848.)     Baxter,  Nora  Springs,  Salem, 

1893-1897. 
Eakin,  John  Alex.    Cresco,  New  Hampton,  1902-1909. 
Eaton,  CjTus  H.     (Vermont,  1822.)    Prairie  City,   1868-1871;   Farragut, 

1875-1877.     Died,  1902. 


378  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Eaton,  Edward  D.  (Lancaster,  Wis.,  1851.)  Newton,  1876-1880.  Presi- 
dent Beloit  College,  1885-. 

Eastman,  Alpha  M.    Monona,  1849-1852. 

Edson,  Henry  K.  (Hadley,  Mass.,  1822.)  Denmark  Academy,  1853- 
1879,  Iowa  College,  1879-1892.    Died,  1906. 

Ek,  Henry  E.    Ottumwa  Swedish,  1909-. 

Eells,  Dudley  B.  (Connecticut,  1829.)  Farmington,  Webster,  Cincinnati, 
Lucas  Grove,  Sabula,  1866-1876.    In  1911  residing  at  Payson,  111. 

Eells,  Samuel  E.    Grand  view,  1909-. 

Egerland,  Franz.    Sioux  City  German,  1890-1891. 

Elliott,  Asa  S.    Cincinnati,  Belknap,  Mt.  Hope,  Georgetown,  1872-1880. 

Elliott,  Franklin.    Monona,  Eagle  Grove,  Manson,  1886-1892. 

Ellsworth,  Alfred  A.    Waterloo,  1871-1876. 

Elser,  Jacob  W.  (Ohio,  1838.)  Lutheran  training.  Jewell,  Edgewood, 
1892-1895.     Died,  1898. 

Ely,  Edward  L.    Rockwood,  1896-1899.    Went  into  business. 

Emerson,  Fred  C.    Cincinnati,  1884-1885. 

Emerson,  Oliver.    See  Chapters  III,  XIII,  XIV  and  others. 

Emerson,  Thomas  P.  Marion  and  the  Wapsipinecon  country,  1840-1841. 
See  Chapter  III. 

Ethridge,  Albert.    Resided  in  Des  Moines  in  the  '80s  without  charge. 

Evans,  Chamber  W.    Givin,  1896-1899. 

Evans,  David  E.     Gomer,  1888-1892. 

Evans,  D.  Ellis.    Larchwood,  Lewis,  1896-1902. 

Evans,  Evan  J.  (Wales,  1811.)  WiUiamsburg,  1858-1872.  Died  at 
Wilhamsburg,  January  18,  1884.    See  Chapter  VII. 

Evans,  Thomas  W.  Long  Creek  Welsh,  1856-1861.  Died,  there,  86  years  of 
age. 

Evans,  James  J.    Old  Man's  Creek,  1902-1904. 

Evans,  Walter  A.  (Ilhnois,  1859.)  Cherokee,  1886-.1888.  Later  in  IIU- 
nois  and  Massachusetts.    Retired,  Plainfield,  HI. 

Ewell,  Edwin.  Clarion,  Denmark,  Nashua,  1894-1904.  Moved  to  Min- 
nesota. 

Ewell,  John  L.     CUnton,  1871-1874. 

Everest,  Asa  E.  (Peru,  N.  Y.,  1821.)  Belle  Plaine,  187:8-1880.  Residence, 
Grinnell,  1880-1895.  Much  of  this  time  agent  Bil)le  Society.  Resi- 
dence, CouncU  Bluffs,  1895-1899.    Died,  April,  1899- 

Eveland,  Samuel.  (Ireland,  1846.)  Wayne,  Hickory  Orove,  Reinbeck, 
Ionia,  1884-1894.    Died,  1898. 

Everts,  Henry  S.    Grandview,  1904-1906.    Returned  to»  Wi  'sconBin. 

Fairbanks,  Arthur.    Professor  in  State  Univeraty,  1901-191 ')6. 

Fairfield,  Fred  W.    Professor,  Tabor  Collegia  1882-1891, 


WHO'S  WHO  379 

Fairfield,  M.  W.     Lyons,   1864-1865.     Pastorates  in  Ohio  and  Illinois, 

before  Iowa.     Later  in  New  England. 
Farwell,  Asa.     (Dorset,  Vt.,  1812.)     Bentonsport,  1866-1870.     Professor 

Doane  College,  1877-1878.    Died  in  Vermont,  1888. 
Fasteen,  Karl  G.    Ottumwa  Swedish,  1896-1897. 
Fath,  Jacob.     (Germany,  1840.)     Muscatine  German,  1882-1889.     Dea 

Moines,  1903-1904.    Treynor,  1904-. 
Fawkes,  Francis.    (England,  1838.)    See  Chapter  XIV. 
Ferner,  John  W.     (Ohio,  1847.)     Mitchellville,  Prairie  City,  Grundy  Cen- 
ter, Postville,  Storm  Lake,  Hampton,  1880-1900;    Tabor,  1904-1910. 

Went  to  Nebraska. 
Ferris,  Walter  L.     (IlUnois,  1852.)     Cherokee,  1889-1902.     Returned  to 

Illinois. 
Fetteroff,  J.  F.    Des  Moines  Pilgrim,  1900-1902. 
Ficke,  Hermann.     Dubuque  Immanuel.     Began  in  1868.     Still  pastor  at 

time  of  death,  June  4,  1911. 
Fifield,  Lebbeus  B.     (Maine,  1826.)     Durango,  Manchester,  Cedar  Falls, 

1855-1870.    Nebraska,  1870-1880.    Died,  1906. 
Finger,  Charies  F.     (Germany,   1840.)     Davenport,  German,   1893-1899 

and  1909-1910.     Retired,  1910. 
Fish,  Henry  S.     (New  York,  1816.)     Baptist  minister,  forty  years.    Fon- 

tanelle,  Nevin,  1878-1881.    Died,  August,  1894. 
Fisher,  Charles  F.     (Pennsylvania,  1873.)    Clinton,  Le  Mars,  1905-1910, 

Tabor,  19 10-. 
Fisher,  Herman  P.    (Massachusetts,  1854.)    Clarion,  1890-1892.    Churches 

in  Minnesota,  1892-. 
Fisher,  Alfred.    Alden,  1902-1904. 
Fisher,  Jesse  L.    Lewis,  1904-1907.    Later  pastorates  in  South  Dakota  and 

Nebraska. 
Fisk,  Frankhn  L.    Garner,  Elkader,  Sioux  Rapids,  1892-1903. 
Fiske,  John  B.    (New  York,  1828.)    Anamosa,  1876-1887.    Bonne  Terre, 

Mo.,  1888-1902.    Died,  March,  1907. 
Fifike,  PUny  H.     (Vermont,  1854.)    Clay,  Gait,  1902-1906,  Mitchellville, 

1906-. 
Fitch,  Lucius  R.  Formerly  Methodist  Episcopal.  Washta,  Milford,  Ocheye- 

dan,  Lakeside,  1886-1897. 
Fleury,  Peter.     See  Chapter  V. 
Flint,  Edgar  E.     (Ohio.)     Creston,  1900-1908.     Later  in  California  and 

Montana. 
Foote,  Wilham  W.    (Ohio,  1831.)    Professor,  Tabor  College,  1878-1880. 

Died,  Kidder,  Mo.,  July,  1895. 
Foster,  John.    Lyons,  1902-1904. 


380  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Foster,  Lucien  M.  Retired  M.  E.  Joined  Mitchell  Association  in  1891. 
In  1911  was  94  years  of  age. 

Foster,  Roswell.  (New  Hampshire,  1824.)  Newton,  Ottumwa,  Winthrop, 
Independence,  1857-1882.    Died,  1892. 

Foster,  WiUiam  C.     Percival,  1870-1872. 

Fowle,  Hanford.     Perry,  1885-1886. 

Fox,  Ahnon  K.  (Pennsylvania,  1835.)  Denmark,  1885-1892.  Still  resid- 
ing at  Denmark  in  1911. 

France,  Parvin  M.  (Ohio,  1852.)  From  U.  B.  Church.  Eldon,  Miles, 
Ionia,  1901-1907. 

Francis,  George  A.     McGregor,  1901-1907. 

Francis,  S.  J.  (Kentucky,  1819.)  Lyons  and  De  Witt,  1849-1851.  Chari- 
ton, 1851-1851.    Died,  June,  1865. 

Frankfurth,  H.     Dubuque  German,  1864-1867. 

Freeman,  Hiram.  (Vermont,  1811.)  Blairstown,  1867-1869.  Lived  at 
Ames  and  Sioux  City  without  charge.    Died,  June,  1896. 

Freeman,   Marsten  S.     Newell,  Waucoma,  1889-1894. 

Frey,  J.  M.    Lawler,  Troy,  Golden  Prairie,  1872-1877. 

French,  Alvan  D.    (Vermont,  1814.)    Eddyville,  1856-1862.    Died,  1866. 

French,  Charles  R.    Postville,  1858-1867. 

French,  Charles  L.    Primghar,  1900-1902. 

French,  Ozro.  (Vermont,  1807.)  Missionary  in  India.  Bentonsport, 
Knoxville,  Frankhn,  Blairstown,  Fairfax,  1851-1865.  Died,  Septem- 
ber 28,  1865. 

Frisbie,  Alvah  L.  (Delavan  Co.,  New  York,  1830.)  Des  Moines 
Plymouth  pastor  and  emeritus,  187 1-.    See  Chapter  X. 

Frizzell,  John  W.  Came  from  Wisconsin.  Sioux  City,  1905-1907.  Later 
in  Texas  and  Washington,  D.  C. 

Frost,  D.  D.    Le  Mars,  1873-1876. 

Frost,  Merle  A.    Miles,  Waucoma,  1897-1907.    Went  to  Washington. 

Frost,  Willard  J.    Sloan,  1909-1910.    Returned  to  Nebraska. 

Frowein,  Abraham.    Davenport  German  and  Sherrill  Mound,  1849-1855. 

Gale,  Clarence  R.  Marshalltown,  1893-1899.  Later,  City  Missionary, 
Seattle,  Wash. 

Gale,  William  P.     Genoa  Bluffs,  WiUiamsburg,   1856-1862. 

Gales,  Thomas  P.    Alton,  1904-1906. 

GaUagher,  LeRoy  E.  (Conrad,  la.,  1878.)  From  M.  E.  Church.  Green 
Mountain,  1909-. 

Gardner,  WiUiam.     De  Witt,  1907-1910. 

Gates,  Charles  H.    Fairfield,  Washington,  Oskaloosa,  1851-1868. 

Gates,  George  A.  (Vermont,  1851.)  Upper  Montclair,  1880-1887.  Presi- 
dent, Iowa  College,  1887-1900.  Later  pastor  Cheyenne;  president, 
Pomona  and  president  of  Fisk. 


WHO'S  WHO  381 

Gates,  Hiram  N.     (New    York,    1820.)     Yankee    Settlement,     Delphi, 

Almoral,  Earlville,  1850-1862.    Later  general  missionary  in  Minnesota, 

and  Superintendent  Home  Missions,  Nebraska.    Died,  1901. 
Gaylord,   Reuben.     Danville,   Mt.  Pleasant,   1838-1855.     See  Chapters 

III  and  XI. 
Geddes,  S.  J.     (Ohio,   1849.)     Methodist  Protestant.     President,  Iowa 

Conference.     Began  Congregational  pastorate  at  Knoxville,  January 

1,  1910. 
Geer,  Herman.     (Vermont,  1818.)     Nevin,  1878-1879.     Died  at  Tabor, 

January,  1892. 
Geiger,  J.  W.    Harlan,  Mason  City,  Oskaloosa,  Marion,  1887-1897. 
Gemmell,  George.     (New  York,  1812.)     Missionary  A.  M.  A.  in  Iowa, 

1856-1863.    Died,  Quasqueton,  June,  1864. 
George,  David  M.     WilHamsburg,  1905-1909. 
George,  Jesse  C.     Dickens,  Webster,  Olds,  1895-1903. 
Gerhardt,  Otto.     (Germany,  1885.)    Evangehcal  Association.    Congrega- 
tional: Des  Moines  German,  1897  to  death  in  1899. 
Gibbs,  Charles  C.     (Connecticut,  1820.)    Earlville  and  Cedar  Falls,  1865- 

1887.  Died,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  May,  1891. 
Giflford,  WilUam  H.  Colesburg,  1908-1909. 
Gilbert,  James  B.    (Vermont,  1826.)    Lucas  Grove,  Lansing,  Maquoketa, 

Mason  City,  Toledo,  Buckingham,  Rockford,  1860-1880.    Died,  March, 

1894. 
Gilbert,  Simeon.    Native  of  Vermont.   Ames,  1868-1869.    Editor  Advance. 

Still  in  Chicago. 
Gilmore,  Charles  E.    Washta,  Primghar,  1901-1906;  Rock  Rapids,  1906-. 
Gihnore,  J.     Bellevue,  1874-1877. 
Gist,  Nathan.     (Marion,  1885.)     Began  his  first  pastorate  at  Humeston, 

1909. 
Gist,  WilUam  W.    (Ohio,  1849.)    In  Civil  War.    Coe  College,  1881-1887; 

Marion  and  Osage,  1887-1889;  Coe,  1899-1900;  Normal,  1900-. 
Glover,  John  F.    (Pennsylvania,  1845.)    Civil  War,  38th  Wisconsin.    Och- 

eyedan,  1908-1910.    A  lawyer. 
Gonzales,  John  B.    (AlUson,  1870.)    Cedar  Rapids  Beth.    Marion,  Union, 

1895-1902.    Later  pastor  in  Louisiana,  and  superintendent  Home  Mis- 
sions in  the  South. 
Gonzales,  Frank  C.    Lakeside,  Kellogg,  Buffalo  Center,  1901-1910;  Traer, 

1910-. 
Goodenow,  Smith  B.    (Maine,  1817.)    Jefferson,  1867-1870.    Died,  Battle 

Creek,  la.,  March,  1897. 
Gordon,   Henry.      (Massachusetts,    1855.)     Professor,   Iowa  University, 

1900-1909.     Died,  September,  1909. 


382  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Gorton,  Philo.  Edgewood,  Strawberry  Point,  Newell,  Waverly,  Kellogg, 
Quasqueton,  Sumner,  Famhamville,  1880-1900. 

Graf,  John  F.    Davenport  German,  1864-1873. 

Granger,  Charles.    Crawfordsville,  Crooked  Creek,  etc.,  1844-1846. 

Grassie,  Thomas  G.  (Scotland,  November  31.)  Keokuk,  1880-1883. 
Superintendent  Home  Missions,  Wisconsin,  1883  to  death,  1898. 

Graves,  Alpheus.  (Massachusetts,  1815.)  Edgewood,  Iowa  Falls,  Brad- 
ford, Lansing,  Eldora,  Big  Rock,  etc.,  1854-1884.  Died,  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  1894. 

Graves,  Arthur  G.  (Minnesota,  1876.)  Iowa  College,  Corning,  1904- 
1908;  Fairfield,  1909-. 

Grawe,  John  F.  (German,  1845.)  Educated,  Bradford  Academy.  Polk 
City,  1879-1881.    Died  in  Nebraska,  January,  1882. 

Gray,  John.  (Native  of  England.)  Avoca,  Parkersburg,  Sergeant  Bluffs, 
Sibley,  1883-1895. 

Greenaway,  Brandon.    Britt,  1906-1910. 

Gregg,  WiUiam  C.    Green's  Grove,  1889-1893. 

Griffiths,  Evan.    Old  Man's  Creek,  1859-1863. 

Griffith,  Wilham  R.  Berwick,  WUhamsburg,  1891-1896;  Hiteman,  1906- 
1907. 

Grinnell,  Joel  E.    Monona,  Castana,  Garden  Prairie,  1902-1909. 

Grinnell,  Josiah  B.  (Vermont,  December,  1821.)  Residence,  Grinnell, 
1854,  to  death,  March  31,  1891.    See  Chapter  XII. 

Grinnell,  Sylvester  S.  (Ohio,  1850.)  Des  Moines  Pilgrim,  Rockford,  1883- 
1887.     Died,  December,  1897. 

Grob,  Gottfried.    (Switzeriand,  1858.)    Sherrill's  Mound,  1892-1899. 

Grout,  Samuel.  (Vermont,  1819.)  Inland  and  Big  Rock,  Monroe,  1856- 
1869.     Died,  April,  1904. 

Grove,  Jacob  F.    Wilton  German,  1897-1901. 

Gurney,  John  H.  (Maine,  1821.)  Humboldt,  1878-1880.  Died,  Decem- 
ber 7,  1898. 

Guernsey,  Jesse.  (Connecticut,  1822.)  Dubuque,  1853-1855.  Superin- 
tendent Home  Missions,  1857,  to  death,  December  1,  1871.  See  Chap- 
ter X. 

Guynne,  Fred  H.    Clear  Lake,  1888-1890. 

Gyr,  R.    Sherrill's  Mound,  1869-1871. 

Haecker,  M.  Claude.    Jewell,  Shell  Rock,  1899-1901. 

Halbert,  Charles  T.  (Maine,  1864.)  Hartwick,  Blairsburg,  Lakeview, 
Avoca,  Gilbert,  Nora  Springs,  1899-1909.    Ionia,  1909-. 

Hales,  John  J.  (England,  1845.)  In  ministry,  thirty-three  years  before 
coming  to  Iowa.    Centerdale  and  Olds,  1906-1909. 

Hall,  Ransom  B.    Hiteman,  Prairie  City,  1903-1906.    Went  into  business. 


WHO'S  WHO  383 

Hall.  Samuel  A.    Ordained,  1861.    Boonsboro,  without  charge,  1891-1901. 

Died,  1908. 
Hallock,  Joseph  A.    (Peru,  N.  Y.,  1811.)    Salem,  1867-1868;  Exira,  Old- 
field,  Stanton,  1879-1883. 
Hambleton,  Ira  D.    (Ohio,  1868.)    Van  Cleve,  Popejoy,  1899-1901.     Later 

in  Alabama  and  California. 
Hamlin,  Cyrus.     Council  Blu£fs,   1878-1884.     Later,  Beloit,  Wis.,  and 

A.  M.  A.  work. 
Hamlin,  Homer.    Residence,  Grinnell. 

Hamilton,  J.  A.    Davenport,  1867-1870.    Returned  to  New  England. 
HamUton,  Charles  S.    Orient,  Elliott,  1887-1890. 
Hammond,  Charles  L.    Oilman,  1898-1903. 
Hancock,    Charles.      (Massachusetts,    1833.)      Calmar,    Conover,    Stacy- 

ville.  Strawberry  Point,  Alden,  1868-1880.    Since  1880,  a  physician  at 

Denmark. 
Hand,  Leroy  S.     (New  York,  1839.)    Wayne,  Crawfordsville,  Polk  City, 

Ogden,   1870-1881,  Ottumwa  South,  Eddyville,  Sioux  Rapids,  Post- 

ville,  Runnells,  Clay,  Van  Cleve,  1883-1911.    Residence  after  1908  at 

Grinnell. 
Hanley,  Charles  S.    Childhood  at  Tabor.    Independent  Evangelist,  1887- 

1904.    Council  Bluffs,  People's  Church,  1908-. 
Hannant,  Norrison  E.    Waucoma,  1899-1902. 
Hanscom,  Fred  L.    (Maine,  1870.)    Sibley,  Moville,  Ionia,  Gamer,  1891- 

1902.     Later  in  Illinois. 
Hanscom,  George  L.     (Maine,  1862.)     Sheldon,  New  Hampton,  1890- 

1898.    Later  in  New  York  and  Florida. 
Hanson,  John  H.    (Sweden,  1873.)    Centerville  Swedish,  1908-. 
Hardcastle,  Wilham.    Iowa  Falls,  1907-. 

Harper,  Aimer.     (Indiana,  1826.)     Sabula,  Sterhng,  Le  Claire,  1855-1866. 
Harlow,  Lincoln.    Lewis,  1863-1865. 
Harrah,  Charles  C.    (Ohio,  January,  1841.)    Iowa  College,  Monroe,  1875- 

1878;  Newton,  1890-1898;  Des  Moines  Greenwood  and  Pilgrim,  1898- 

1902.     Died,  April,  1903. 
Harris,  Bertha  J.     From  SchaufHer  Training  School.     Assisted  at  Bear 

Grove,  etc. 
Harris,  Rupert  W.     Elliott,  Bear  Grove,  Orient,  1891-1899.     Later  in 

Ohio. 
Harrison,  James.     Beacon,  1889-1897. 
Harrington,  Charles  E.     (Concord,  N.  H.,  1846.)     Dubuque,  1882-1885. 

Returned  to  New  England. 
Hartsough,  D.  M.    Exira,  Avoca,  Mason  City,  1885-1889.    Later  an  evan- 

geUst. 


384  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Hartsough,  William  W.     (Fayette,  Iowa,  1863.)     U.  B.  Ministry,  1894- 

1899.    Congregational,  Doon,  Exira,  1901-1903. 
Harvey,  William  F.     (New  Hampshire,  1827.)     Webster  City,  Riceville, 

1864-1877.     Continued  to  preach  in  destitute  neighborhoods  in  Wright 

County  until  his  death,  December,  1889. 
Haskell,  Jotham  S.    Mt.  Pleasant  in  1857  and  Council  Bluffs,  1858.    No 

more  in  Iowa. 
Haskett,  Charles  A.     Coming,  1902-1903. 
Haskins,   Benjamin  F.      (New  York,    1822.)     Amity   (College  Springs), 

1856-1861.     Died,  April,  1887. 
Hassell,  Richard.     (Leeds,  Eng.,  1820.)    Primitive  Methodist,  1848-1850. 

Congregational  pastorates  in  Wisconsin,  1855-1860.    In  Iowa,  Kellogg, 

Eddyville,  Fairfax,  1870-1887.    Died  in  1899. 
Hathaway,  George  W.     (Massachusetts,  1807.)     Residence  at  Grinnell, 

1860-1861.    Died,  July,  1891. 
Hawley,  Henry  K.    Sloan,  1901-1904.    Went  to  Wisconsin. 
Hawley,  Z.  Kent.     (Connecticut.)     Dubuque,  1839-1841.     Returned  to 

New  England.    Died,  Memphis,  Tenn.,  after  the  War. 
Hayes,  Gordon.     Many  years  pastor  in  Connecticut.     Brighton,  1860- 

1864.  Died,  Muscatine,  1874. 

Hayward,  W.  H.    (Boston,  1805.)    Le  Claire,  Cass,  Magnolia,18  56-1873. 

Died  at  Magnolia,  1876. 
Hazen,  W.  W.     Baxter,  Madison  Co.  First,  Prairie  City,  1888-1894. 
Healy,  J.  W.    Iowa  City,  Ottumwa,  1875-1878. 
Heap,  Allison  R.    (Kewaunee,  111.,  1879.)    Teaching  to  ministry,  Whiting, 

1907-. 
Hebard,  George  D.  A.     (Vermont,   1831.)    Presbyterian,  Clinton,  Iowa 

City,   1858-1861.     Congregational,  Iowa  City,  Oskaloosa,  1866-1870. 

Died  at  Oskaloosa,  December  14,  1870.    See  Chapter  X. 
Hein,  George.    (Russia,  1875.)    Wilton  College,  Lansing  Ridge,  1905-1906, 

Sherrill,  Durango,  1907-. 
Helfenstein,  Roy  C.    (Fairfield,  la.,  1885.)    Student,  Des  Moines  College. 

Adelphi,  1907-. 
Helms,  Reuben  C.    Grant  and  Sutherfand,  1882-1885;  Washta,  1899-1901. 
Helms,  S.  D.    (New  York,  1815.)    Andrew,  West  Union,  Lima,  1850-1873. 

Died,  March,  1888. 
Hemmenway,  Samuel.    (New  Hampshire,  1809.)    Brighton,  Salem,  1858- 

1865.  Died,  October,  1893. 

Hempstead,  Cari  W.  (Ohio,  1872.)  Woden,  Eddyville,  1902-1908.  Vic- 
tor, 1908-. 

Henderson,  Arthur  S.  Salem,  Shenandoah,  Atlantic,  1901-1910;  Mus- 
catine, 1910-. 


WHO'S  WHO  385 

Henderson,   John  R.     (New    Hampshire,    1872.)     Pastorates,  Vermont, 

Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Clear  Lake,  Iowa,  1909-1911.  Moved  to  Florida. 
Henderson,  John  H.     MarshalltowTi,  1890-1893. 
Henn,  Jacob.     (Germany,  1835.)     Evangelical  Association.     Des  Moines, 

Chicago,  Muscatine,  1893-1901.    Died,  February  20,  1903. 
Henry,  F.  Edmunds.     (Emmetsburg,  1873.)     Iowa  College,  Garner,  1905- 

1908,  Belle  Plaine,  1908-. 
Herbrechter,  F.    Sabula,  1871-1873. 
Herr,  Horace  D.  (Indiana,  1852.)    Served  U.  B.  Church.    Congregational 

in  Iowa,  Muscatine,  Ames,  1897-1905;    Humboldt  and  Weaver,  1905. 
Herrick,  H.  Martyn.    Charles  City,  1893-1895. 
Herrick,  Stephen  L.     (Vermont,  1800.)     Crown  Point,  1826-1853;    Grin- 

nell,  1855-1860.    Died  at  Grinnell,  July,  1886. 
Herron,  George  D.    Burhngton,    1891-1893.     Professor,    Iowa    College, 

1893-1900. 
Hertel,  Arthur  F.    Davenport  German,  1892-1893. 
Hess,  Carl  V.     (Germany,  1818.)    Missionary  in  Clayton  County,  1847  to 

death,  June,  1855. 
Hess,  Carl.     (Clayton    County,  1855.)     Iowa    College,  Sherrill,  Daven- 
port, 1884-1889.     General   Missionary,  1890-1895.     Secretary  Wilton 

College,  1895-1900.    Then  moved  to  Kansas. 
Hess,  Henry.    (Germany,  1840.)    Fort  Atkinson  and  New  Hampton,  Ger- 
man, 1867-1892.     Died,  October,  1908. 
Hetzler,  Henry.     Sherrill's  Mound,  Grandview,  Muscatine,  Pine  Creek, 

1872-1882. 
Heu,  de  Bourch.    Dyersville,  1858-1866. 
Heyward,  James  W.    Clear  Lake,  1897-1903.    Bilhngs,  Mont.,  and  then 

to  Episcopal  Church. 
Hicks,  George  C.    Red  Oak,  1870-1871. 
Hicks,  Frank  B.    Clear  Lake,  1890-1893;   Lyons,  1895-1897.    Became  a 

physician. 
Hicks,  William  C.    Jewell,  Union,  Cromwell,  Steamboat  Rock,  1889-1900. 
Higganbotham,  T.  M.     (Kentucky,  1868.)     Postville,  1902-1904.     Later 

pastorates  in  Ohio  and  Illinois. 
Hill,  Edwin  S.     (Ohio,  1837.)     Grove  City,  1866-1869;    Atlantic,  1869- 

1905.     Residence  in  California. 
Hill,  James  J.    Member  of  the  Iowa  Band.    See  Chapters  IV  and  X. 
Hill,  Virgil  B.     (Tabor,  1869.)     Tabor  College,  Waucoma,  Mitchellville, 

Allison,  Rockwell,  1894-1907;  agent.  Tabor  College,  1909-. 
Hilliard,  D.  Lee.    Decorah,  Earlville  and  Almoral,  1893-1898. 
Hilton,  W.  H.    College  Springs,  1888-1890. 
Hindley,  George.    Avoca,  1875-1880. 

26 


386  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Hines,  Herbert  H.     (Nebraska,   1890.)     Iowa  University.     Centerdale, 

1909-. 
Hinckley,  Abbie  R.    Forest  City,  Riceville,  1889-1893. 
Hinman,  Herbert  J.    (Wisconsin,  1872.)    Lewis,  Mt.  Pleasant,  1902-1906; 

Cresco,  1906-. 
Hitchcock,  A.  B.     (Massachusetts,  1814.)     Illinois  College.     Davenport, 

1841-1843.     Many  years  at  Moline,  111.,  where  he  died,  December, 

1873. 
Hitchcock,   George   B.      (Massachusetts,    1812.)     Oskaloosa,   Eddyville, 

Lewis,  1853-1861.    Exira  and  Harrison,  1863-1865.    Died  in  1872. 
Hix,  Lemon  B.    (Ohio,  1854.)    U.  B.  pastorate,  Muscatine,  eleven  years; 

Eagle  Grove,  Marshalltown,  1903-1910;    Waterloo,  Plymouth,  1910-. 
Hobart,  Milo.     (New  York,  1831.)    Residence,  Mt.  Pleasant,  1873-1888. 

Supply  work.    Died,  February,  1889. 
Hobbs,  William  A.     (Ohio,  1849.)     Pastorates,  Illinois  and  New  York. 

Traer,  1899-1904.    Died,  April  20,  1904. 
Hock,  A.  S.    Parkersburg,  Elkader,  1904-1907. 
Hodgdon,    Frank  W.     (Massachusetts,  1868.)     Pastorates,  Michigan  and 

New  Jersey;  Des  Moines  Plymouth,  1903-1911. 
Holbrook,  Ira  A.    Sioux  Rapids,  1903-1905;   Toledo,  1907-1908.    Went 

back  to  U.  B.  Church. 
Holbrook,  John  C.     (Vermont,  1808.)     Dubuque,  1842-1853,  1855-1863. 

Later  in  New  York  and  California.    Died,  August,  1900. 
Holcombe,  Gilbert  T.     Glenwood,  1883-1887.     Steamboat  Rock,  1903- 

1904. 
Holman,  Edwin  C.    Oskaloosa,  1892-1895. 
Holman,  Edward  E.  H.     Perkins,  Sioux  City  Pilgrim,  Elma,  Radchffe, 

Stuart,  1892-1901. 
Holmes,  John  A.    Farnhamville,  Toledo,  1898-1904.    Later  in  CaHfomia 

and  Ilhnois. 
Holmes,  Otis  H.     (Clay,  la.,  1869.)     Cresco,  1896-1901,  Algona,  1901.- 

lowa  Legislature,  1906,  1908  and  1910. 
Holmes,  Thomas  H.    Clay,  1865-1872.    Died  at  Clay,  June  4,  1872. 
Holway,  John  W.    Centerdale,  1904-1904. 
Holyoke,  WilUam  E.     (Ohio,   1821.)     Illinois,   1850-1885.     Eldon,  West 

Burlington,   Bentonsport,    1886-1890.     Died  in  Chicago,    December, 

1903. 
Horner,  John  W.     Belknap,  1876-1878;    New  Hampton,  Independence, 

Valley  Junction,  1891-1902. 
Hooker,  Amos  H.    Ogden,  1903-1904.    Went  to  CaHfornia. 
Hoover,  Frank  W.     (Newtonville,  la.,  1869.)    Belknap,  Cincinnati,  1892- 

1895.     Drowned  in  1906. 


WHO'S  WHO  387 

Hopkins,  Fred  E.  (New  York,  1857.)  Dubuque,  1891-1900.  Englewood, 
Chicago,  1900-1910. 

Horine,  Stephen  D.  (Wisconsin,  1858.)  Primghar,  Grant,  Castana,  Og- 
den,  1888-1896.  Stricken  with  paralysis  in  1896,  but  still  Uving  at 
Whittier,  Cal.,  in  1911. 

Horn,  Charles  H.    Principal  Grinnell  Academy,  1902-1911. 

Home,  John  F.    Independence,  Peterson,  Washta,  1886-1903. 

Hotzie,  WiUiam  H.  Independence,  AlUson,  1904-1906.  Went  into  school 
work. 

Houghton,  Amasa  H.  (Vermont,  1801.)  Lansing,  1863-1875.  Residence, 
Lansing,  1856-1884.    Died,  July,  1884. 

House,  Albert  V.  Glenwood,  Otho,  Manson,  Lawler,  1862-1875.  Died  in 
1875. 

House,  R.  E.    Waucoma,  Lamoille,  1903-1904. 

Houston,  Albert  S.  (Denmark,  1851.)  Academy,  Iowa  College.  Micro- 
nesia, 1882-1885;  Clarion,  Gilman,  1886-1893.    Died,  March,  1899. 

Howie,  Robert.    (Scotland,  1875.)    Golden  Prairie,  1905-1906. 

Hoyt,  Henry  N.  (New  York,  1848.)  Charies  City,  1883-1886.  Later 
Oak  Park  and  New  England.    Died  at  Boston,  November,  1910. 

Hoyt,  James  S.  (Connecticut,  1830.)  Eighteen  years  at  Port  Huron, 
Mich.    Keokuk,  1884-1890.    Died,  March  4,  1890. 

Hudson,  J.  M.    Bradford,  Earlville,  1872-1875. 

Hufifman,  S.  J.    Lamoille,  AureUa,  Riceville,  1904-1910;  Baxter,  1910. 

Hughes,  Isaac  C.    Long  Creek,  1875-1877.    Beacon,  1881-1884. 

Hughes,  Robert  W.  (Wales,  1841.)  A  Calvinistic  Methodist  until  1883. 
Polk  aty,  Crocker,  Prairie  Hill,  Des  Moines  Moriah,  1883-1887.  Pas- 
tor at  large,  1887-1889.  Agent  Bible  Society,  1889-1898.  The  next 
ten  years  supphed  here  and  there. 

Huget,  J.  Percival.  (Fort  Dodge,  1873.)  Teacher,  Coe  College  and  State 
University.  Pastorates:  Cedar  Rapids,  1903-1907;  Galesburg,  111., 
1907-1910,  Detroit,  Mich.,  19 10-. 

Huribert,  Sanford.    West  Union  and  Fayette,  1859-1860. 

Hurlbut,  Joseph.  (Vermont,  1793.)  Fort  Atkinson,  1857-1874.  Died, 
April,  1874. 

Hulbert,  Jay  M.  (Vermont,  1860.)  Clinton,  1895-1899.  Later  in  Min- 
nesota and  IlUnois. 

Humphrey,  Chester  C.  Cass,  College  Springs,  1863-1869;  Waucoma, 
Wayne,  Hickory  Grove,  Cincinnati,  Cromwell,  1884r-1889. 

Humphries,  Ohver  M.  (New  Providence,  la.,  1875.)  Silver  Creek,  Keck, 
Colesburg,  Oto,  1901-1904. 

Hunt,  Theo.  C.    Riceville,  1904-1909.    Later  in  Illinois. 

Hunter,  George  F.  (Quasqueton,  la.,  1855.)  Hawarden,  1887-1889. 
Died,  October,  1891. 


388  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Hunter,  Hamilton  D.    Cherokee,  1902-1904.    Later  in  Missouri. 

Hunter,  Robert.     Clay,  Columbus  City,  Nevinville,   1855-1872.     Died, 

1872. 
Hurd,  Fayette.     (Michigan,  1835.)     Pastorates  in  Michigan.     In  Iowa, 

Montour  and  Cherokee,  1868-1878.    Later,  Michigan  and  Missouri. 
Hutchinson,  Horace.     One  of  the  Iowa  Band.     Burlington,   1843-1846. 

See  Chapters  IV  and  V. 
Hutchinson,  John  C.    Iowa  City,  1859-1859.    Returned  to  New  England. 
Hurst,  George  B.     Perry,  1889-1889. 
Hyde,  Charles  H.     Knoxville,  1904-1907. 
Ijems,  WiUiam  E.     (Ohio,  1830.)     Founded  Iowa  Institute  for  Deaf  and 

Dumb  at  Iowa  City  and  was  the  principal,  1854-1863.    Pastor,  Iowa 

City,  1871-1874.    Died,  April,  1893. 
Irwin,  C.  S.    Anita,  1873-1875. 

Jackson,  William.    Ocheyedan,  Golden  Prairie,  1902-1905. 
James,  George  W.     Hiteman,  1901-1903. 
James,  John.    (Cornwall,  Eng.,  1880.)    Westfield,  1908- 
James,  Lydia  I.     Otho,  1905-1907. 
James,  Thomas  I.     Gait,  Otho,  1902-1905. 
Jamison,  Robert  W.     (Canada,   1855.)     Elhott,  Cromwell,  Sioux  City, 

Mayflower,  1883-1897.    Evangelist,  1897-. 
Jansen,  Jacob  E.     Alvord,  1907-. 
Jenkins,  David.    Bloomfield,  Monticello,  1877-1881. 
Jenkins,  James.     Long  Creek,  1901-1903. 
Jenkins,  David  I.     De  Witt,  1886-1887. 
Jenkins,  Thomas  P.     Pastorates,  New  York,  Ohio  and  Missouri;    Long 

Creek,  1909-. 
Jewell,  George  C.     (New  York,  1844.)     Lewis,  Creston  Pilgrim,  Kellogg, 

Chester,  1892-1907. 
Johnson,  Brent.      General  Missionary  among  the  Scandinavians,  1885- 

1890. 
Johnson,  Lorenzo  C.    Britt  Scandinavian,  1888-1890. 
Johnson,  P.  Adelstein.     (Iceland,  1868.)    Tabor  College.  Iowa  pastorate, 

Ottumwa,  1900-1907.    Home  Missionary  secretary,  1907-. 
Johnson,  Wilham  J.      LeMars,  1897-1900.     Springfield,  111.,  1900. 
Johnston,  Frank  L.    Valley  Junction,  Mount  Pleasant,  1896-1904.    Went 

to  Missouri. 
Johnston,  Wilham  G.     Center  Point,  Peterson,    Newell,  Mllford,  1891- 

1903. 
Jones,  Abram.    Williamsburg,  1896-1902. 

Jones,  Amos.     (Manchester,  Eng.,   1835.)     Colesburg,  Dyersville,  Fair- 
fax, Rock  Rapids,  1874-1883.    Died,  1886. 


WHO'S  WHO  389 

Jones,  Cadwalader.     Beacon,  1874-1879. 

Jones,  Daniel.    Monticello,  Fairfax,  1865-1870. 

Jones,  Darius  E.    (New  York,  1815.)    See  Chapter  XI. 

Jones,  Irvin  M.    Givin  and  Beacon,  1884-1888. 

Jones,  John  A.    Foreston  and  Florence,  1864-1871. 

Jones,  Jay  J.    Parkersburg,  1903-1903;  Salem,  1905-1907;  Marion,  1909- 

Jones,  John  E.    (South  Wales,  1828.)    Pastorates,  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio. 

Iowa:  Long  Creek,   Old  Man's  Creek,    1882-1894.     Residence,  Iowa 

City,  1890-. 
Jones,  James  T.     (England,   1862.)     Mansfield  College.     Pastorates  in 

Pennsylvania,  1897-1908;  Iowa  City,  1908-. 
Jones,  Lemuel.     (Manchester,  Eng.,  1833.)     Bellevue,  1865-1866.    Other 

pastorates  East  and  South.    Died,  July,  1902, 
Jones,  Morris  M.    Old  Man's  Creek,  1856-1859. 
Jones,  Newton  I.    Mount  Pleasant,  1877-1878. 
Jones,  Richard  T.     Correctionville,  Sioux  Rapids,   1902-1908;    Clinton, 

1908-. 
Jones,  Paul  W.     (Michigan,  1871.)    Belmond,  1909-1910;   Alden,  1910-. 
Jones,  Samuel.     (North  Wales,  1829.)     Long  Creek,  Gomer,  Cleveland, 

1872-1887.     Died,  February,  1904. 
Jones,  Tudor.    (North  Wales,  1804.)     Came  to  United  States,  1846;   Du- 
buque, 1856;  Georgetown  and  Beacon,  1861-1865,     Died,  November, 

1893.    He  was  the  father  of  Amos  and  Lemuel. 
Jones,  WiUiam.     (Manchester,  Eng.,  1841.)    Center  Point,  Salem,  Eldon, 

Larchwood,  1886-1896.    Died  at  Larchwood,  May,  1896. 
Jones,  WilUam  Hugh.     (North    Wales,    1845.)    Pastorates,    Wales    and 

Pennsylvania.    Long  Creek,  1888-1890.    Died,  May,  1908. 
Jordan,  Albert  H.     (Fairfield,  la.,  1879.)     Mason  City,  1905-1907,     St, 

Louis,  Mo.,  First  Church,  1907-. 
Judiesch,  Frederick  W.     (Prussia,  1820.)     Pine  Creek,  Grand  view,  Daven- 
port, 1853-1892.     Died,  May,  1900. 
Judkins,  Benj.     Keokuk,  1868-1870. 
June,  Franklin  S.     Native  of  Vermont.     Vacation  work,  1883.     Corning, 

Charies   City,  1884-1888.     Died   at   Charies   City,  March    19,  1888. 
Kasson,  Jas.  H.     Almoral,  1858-1860. 
Kaufman,  Wm.  H.     Fairfax,  Strawberry  Point,  1886-1888,  Cresco,  1890- 

1891,  Hull,  1894-1896. 
Kaye,  A.  Cato.     Oskaloosa,  1899-1907.     Returned  to  the  Presbyterians, 
Keagy,  FrankUn  W.     Lewis,  Harian,  1907-1909. 
Keeler,  Azra  B.     Cass,  TripoH,  Earlville  and  Almoral,  Waterloo  Union, 

1902-1908. 
Keeler,  Ernest  M.     Silver  Creek,  Keck,  Colesburg,  1904-1907, 


390  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Keith,  Wm.  A.     (Maine,  1810.)     Maquoketa,  Tipton,  Decorah,  Brook- 
field,  1846-1866. 
Kennedy,  Joseph  R.     (Belfast,  Ireland,  1828.)     Salem,  Glasglow,  Clay, 

1858-1865. 
Kennedy,  Wm.  M.     (Scotland,  1879.)     Oilman,  1909. 
Kent,  Aratus.     See  Chapters  II  and  IX. 
Kent,  Everts.     (Benson,  Vt.,  1843.)     Eldora,  Victor,  Dunlap,  1889-1905. 

Back  to  Vermont. 
Kent,    Lawrence    G.     (England,    1860.)     Muscatine,    Emmetsburg,     Le 

Mars,  1895-1904.     State  Sec'y,  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E. 
Kent,  Thos.    Waucoma,  Lawler,  Earlville  and  Almoral,  1878-1885.    Died, 

1910. 
Kent,  Wm.     Otho,  Fort  Dodge,  Iowa  Falls,  etc.,  1857-1862. 
Kenyon,   Fergus   L.     (Scotland,    1833.)     Iowa  City,    1878-1885.     Later 

Pres.  Col.  in  Fort  Dodge,  Principal  Academy  and  Pastor  in  Illinois. 

Died,  1902. 
Kenyon,  Frank  E.    Denmark,  1895-1897. 
Kern,  Andrew.     Grandview,   1878-1886.     Minden,  Lansing  Ridge,  New 

Hampton,  etc.,  1891-1906. 
Kerr,    Robt.     (Scotland,  1829.)     Mitchell,  1878-1881.     Later  in  Illinois, 

Kansas  and  Wisconsin.     Died,  June,  1890. 
Kershaw,  C.  H.     Hull,  1896-1898. 
Keyes,  Chas.  H.     (Canada,  1858.)     Oskaloosa,  1886-1890.     Ravenwood 

Chicago  until  death  in  1897. 
Kidder,  Sam'l  T.     "A  Wisconsin  Man."     McGregor,  1910-. 
Kimball,  Edw.  P.     See  Chapter  XIV. 
Kimball,  Edw.     (Iowa,  1850.)    Iowa.     Col.  Hastings,  1878-1880.     Miles, 

on  farm,  1880-1909.     Later  residence,  in  Illinois. 
Kimball,  Jas.  P.     (Townsend,  Vt.,  1828.)     Keokuk,  1855-1859.     Returned 

to  N.  E.     Died,  May,  1882. 
King,  B.     Garnavillo,  1871-1874.     Died  in  1875. 
King,  Henry  D.     (New  York,  1823.)     Magnoha,  1856-1863. 
King,  Willett  D.     (Iowa,  1868.)     Moorland,  Mizpah,  Allison,  Bear  Grove, 

1895-1903.     Later  in  Nebraska. 
Kinzer,  Addison  D.     (Ind.,  1845.)     Union,  New  Providence,  Hampton, 

Des  Moines  Pilgrim,  Perry,  Lyons,  Marion,  1871-1905.     Later  work 

in  Washington. 
Kirkwood,  James.     (Scotland,  1846.)     In  M.  P.  work,  1879-1902.     Silver 

Creek,  Keck,  Bear  Grove,  1902-1907,  Cromwell,  1907-. 
Klose,    Wm.    H.     (Peimsylvania,     1864.)     Mitchell,   Manson,  Bellevue, 

Monona,  1888-1899.     Later  in  College  work. 
Kluckhohn,  Edw.  F.     Gr9,ndview,  1892-1894, 


WHO'S  WHO  391 

Knipe,  Samuel.     Larchwood,  1897-1898. 

Knodell,  Jas.  P.     Eldora,  1879-1883;  S.  S.  Supt.,  1883-1884,  Mason  City, 

1885-1888  and  1893-1903.     Later  in  California  and  Oregon. 
Knowles,  David.     (Manchester,  England,  1811.)     Long  Creek,  Old  Man's 

Creek,    Flint    Creek,    Columbus    City,    Crawfordsville,    Wilton,   etc., 

1845-1879.     Nebraska  20  years.     Died,  1899. 
Ladd,  Geo.  E.     (Vermont,   1865)     Robert   Col.,  1891-1894.      Pastorates 

Vermont  and  Rhode  Island,  Red  Oak,  1907-1910,  Colorado,  1910-. 
LaDue,  S.  P.     Anamosa    and    Cass,   Mitchell,   Rockford,  Rock   Grove, 

Ulster,  Irving,  Plymouth,  1855-1870. 
LaDue,  Thos.     Waterloo,  1857-1858.     Joined  the  Free  Methodists. 
Lamb,  Geo.  C.     Marshalltown,  1882-1886.     Joined  the  Presbyterians. 
Lamb,  H.  B.     Burr  Oak,  1873-1875. 
Lambley,  Morley.     Emmetsburg,  1905-1908.    Went  south,  but  returned 

in  1911. 
Lamphear,    Walter    C.     (Connecticut,     1866.)     Masonville,     1894-1895. 

Returned  to  Connecticut. 
Lane,    Bradford   B.     (Canada,    1838.)     Highland,    1873-1883.     Residing 

on  farm  near  by  in  1911. 
Lane,  Daniel.     One  of  the  Iowa  Band.     See  Chapters  IV  and  XII. 
Langdon,  Geo.  M.     (Connecticut,  1834.)     Illinois,  New  York  and  Massa- 
chusetts.    Washington,  Iowa,  1872-1873.     Died,  September,  1895. 
Langpaap,    Henry.     Grandview,    Pine    Creek,    Davenport,    Garnavillo, 

Lansing  Ridge,  etc.,  1859-1868. 
Lansborough,  John.     Gaza,  Runnells,  Bear  Grove,  1900-1904. 
Larkin,  Wallace.     Chapin,  1899-1900,  Oakland,  1903-1905. 
Latham,  Ernest  R.     Fort  Dodge,  1894-1897 
Lavender,  Robt.  F.      Hartwick,  Polk  City,  Oilman,   1884-1898.      S.  S. 

Work  1898-1903.     Wittemberg,  1903-. 
Lawrence,  Harris  N.     Grand  River,  Buffalo  Center,  1889-1894. 
Lawrence,  H.  O.     Madison  Co.  First,  Grand  River,  Orient,  1891-1895. 
Lawson,  Francis.     Brighton,  Clay,  Durant,  Moville,   1882-1891.     Later 

in  Nebraska  and  California. 
Leavitt,  Wm.     (Maine,  1829.)     Maine,  Vermont,  Minnesota,  Monticello, 

Fayette,  1870-1878.     Later  in  Nebraska.     Died,  Oct.,  1904. 
Lee,  Frank  T.     Muscatine,  1892-1894.     Returned  to  Illinois.     Later  in 

Washburn,  Col. 
Lee,    Vinton.     Gait,    1900-1902,    Cedar    Rapids,    Bethany,    1905-1907, 

Onawa,  1907-. 
Leeper,  Edw.  A.     (Dover,  Ills.,  1847.)     Red  Oak,  1884-1889.     Later  in 

New  York  and  Ohio. 
Lees,  Henry,     Waucoma,  1875-1878. 


392  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

Leichliter,  Albert  M.  (Pennsyhania,  1851.)  U.  B.  1884-1891.  Larch- 
wood,  Runnells,  Peterson,  Aurelia,  Gowrie,  Ruthven,  1891-1902. 
Retired  to  Spencer  but  continued  supply  work. 

Leonard,  Aaron  L.  (Pennsylvania,  1812.)  Gen'l  Miss'y,  1847-1850. 
Danville,  1856-1863.     Died  in  New  York,  July,  1900. 

Leonard,  Abner.  Father  of  Aaron.  Residence  in  Iowa,  without  charge 
from  1845  to  time  of  death  in  1857. 

Lewis,  David  R.  (Wales,  1825.)  Supplied  at  Beacon  and  Givin  early 
'70s.     Died,  January,  1892. 

Lewis,  Frankhn  C.     Castana,  Gaza,  Primghar,  1895-1904. 

Lewis,  G.  W.     Old  Man's  Creek,  1850-1854. 

Lewis,  Thos.  G.     Blairsburg,  1891-1893. 

Lewis,  Wm.  D.  (Wales,  1883.)  Former  pastorate  in  Pennsylvania, 
Maquoketa,  1909. 

Lewis,  Wm.  W.  (Iowa,  1859.)  Waucoma,  1889-1893.  Later  in  Minne- 
sota.    Died,  1901. 

Little,  Chas.  (Connecticut,  1819.)  Iowa  pastorates,  1874-1888,  at 
Coming,  Lewis  and  Clay.     Died,  August,  1892. 

Little,  Wilbur  G.  Blencoe,  Allison,  Lakeview,  1894-1898.  Became  a 
physician. 

Littlefield,  Oz'as.     (Massachusetts,  1803.)     See  Chapters  VII  and  XI. 

Litts,  Palmer.  (New  York,  18.?5.)  Iowa  pastorates,  1874-1904  at  Lans- 
ing, Central  City,  Waucoma,  Union,  Orchard,  Miles  and  Stillwater, 
Popejoy  and  Dinsdale.     Died,  July,  1906. 

Lloyd,  John.     Moville,  1900-1901. 

Locke,  Robt.  J.  (Ontario,  1876.)  Redfield  College,  Illinois,  1901-1907, 
Ottumwa,  1907-. 

Lockridge,  Geo.  C.  (Kentucky,  1845.)  Center  Point,  1877-1892.  Later, 
Kansas  and  Wisconsin.     Died,  1903. 

I^ng,  Henry  H.     Bondurant,  1895-1898.     Residence  Des  Moines,  1898-. 

Long,  Harry  B.     Iowa  Falls,  1889-1890. 

Long,  Geo.  O.     Bondurant  and  Linn  Grove,  1905-1907. 

Loomis,  Aritas  F.     Postville,  Garden  Prairie,  1882-1887. 

Loos,  Wm.  (Wisconsin,  1872.)  Sherrill,  Durango,  Davenport,  1900- 
1907.     Later  in  Minnesota  and  South  Dakota. 

Loring,  Asa  T.     Manchester,  Osage,  1860-1868.     Deceased. 

Losey,  John  B.     Des  Moines  Pilgrim,  1902-1907. 

Lower,  David  M.  (Indiana,  1859.)  Agency,  1898-1906.  Webster, 
1907-. 

Lowery,  John  B.     Harrison,  (Dunlap,)  1866-1867. 

Lowry,  Oscar.     An  independent  Evangelist  residing  in  1911  at  Cedar  Falls. 

Ludden,  W.  W.     Magnolia,  1855-1856. 


WHO'S   WHO  393 

Luxford,  Frederick.     Magnolia,  Washta,  1904-1905. 

Lyman,  Addison.     (Massachusetts,   1813.)     Illinois,   1847-1854,  Genesee 

Sem.,  Sheffield,   1854-1868,    Kellogg,    1868-1870.     Died   at   Grinnell, 

May  7,  1902. 
Lyman,    Chaa.     N.     (Connecticut,     1835.)     Pastorate    in    Connecticut; 

served  in  the  Civil  War.     Iowa  pastorates  Dunlap,  Onawa,  Alden, 

1868-1902.     Died  at  Alden,  July,  1905. 
Lyman,  Henry  M.     (Illinois,  1858.)     Iowa  Col.  Summers,  1887  and  1888 

in  Iowa  work.     Denmark,  1910. 
Lyman,  Timothy.     Lansing,  1850-1855. 

Lynde,  Chas.  E.     Home  Des  Moines;  Iowa  Col.  Summers,  1906  at  Rock- 
ford;  Manchester,  1907-1908. 
Lyon,  Asa  P.     (New  York,  1837.)     M.  E.  churches  in  New  York  and 

Massachusetts.     In  Iowa,  1884-1888,  at  Perry  and  Rock  Rapids.     In 

1911  residing  in  New  York. 
MacLeod,  Alex.     (Canada,  1858.)    Glenwood  in  1880.    Died,  March,  1896. 
Macnab,  Donald  R.     Sabula,  McGregor,  1870-1872. 
Madulet,  J.  B.     Dubuque  and  Sherrill's  Mound  German,  1849-1851. 
Magoun,    Fred  H.     (Bath,   Me.,    1852.)     Iowa  Col.   Gilman,    Newburg, 

Storm  Lake,  1878-1885.     Died,  April,  1885. 
Magoun,   Geo.   F.     (Bath  Me.,    1821.)     Davenport,   Lyons,    1855-1864. 

Pres.  Iowa  Col.,  1865-1884.     Died,  1896. 
Mallory,  Ira  O.     Otho,  1907-1909,  Manson,  1909-. 
Mannhardt,  E.  G.  L.     Wilton  German,  1894-1897. 
Manson,    Albert.     (Canada,    1803.)     Marion,  1854-1858.     Central  City, 

1858-1864.    Quasqueton,  1864-1871  and  1883-1884.    Died,  September, 

1888. 
Manwell,  B.  F.     Lawler,  1873-1874.     Died  in  office. 
Marble,    Wm.    H.      (New    Hampshire,     1822.)      Waterloo,     1865-1868. 

Grundy  Center,  1872-1874.     Died,  September,  1903. 
Marks,  Julius.     Kellogg,  Blairsburg,  1890-1895. 
Marsh,  Alfred  F.     (Massachusetts,  1837.)     New  Hampshire  and  Illinois. 

Fairfield,    1892-1899.     Supplied    Hiteman,    Strawberry    Point,    West 

BurUngton  and  Clay.     Died,  March,  1909. 
Marsh,  Burton  E.     (Massachusetts,  1872.)     Iowa  pastorates,  1901-1910, 

at  Nora  Springs,  Sloan  and  Farragut.     Later  in  Nebraska. 
Marsh,  Chas.  E.     Soldier  River,  Mondamin,  Center  Point  and  Colesburg, 

etc.,  1884-1887. 
Marsh,  Geo.     Manson,  Eldon,  1896-1898. 

Marsh,  Geo.  D.     (Vermont,   1844.)     Iowa  Col.,  Miss'y,  Turkey,  1872-. 
Marsh,  Geo.  L.     Iowa  Col,  Valley  Jet.,  Alden,  1903-1906.    Later  in  Cali- 
fornia. 


394  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Marsh,  Hammond  L.     (Grinnell,  1858.)     Iowa  Col.,  Genoa  Bluffs,  Victor, 

Fairfield,  Denmark,  1886-1895. 
Marsh,  Geo.  L.     Magnolia,  1883-1885. 
Marsh,    John    T.     (Connecticut,    1825.)     Le   Claire,    1855-1856.     Died, 

March,  1884. 
Marsh,   Robt.   L.     (Pennsylvania,    1860.)     Humboldt,  Weaver,  BurUng- 

ton,  1896-1906.     Died,  August,  1906. 
Marshall,  Chapman  A.     (Dublin,  1838.)     Burr  Oak,  Post\alle,  New  Hamp- 
ton, Nashua,  Clinton,  McGregor,  1871-1900.     Died,  June,  1906. 
Marshall,  Chas.  G.     (Cresco,   1872.)     Dickens,  Britt,  1900-1906.     Com- 
ing, 1908-. 
Marsolf,  C.  A.     Sioux  City,  Riverside,  1904-1906.     Dickens,  1909-. 
Martin,  Benj.  F.     Burlington,  1909-1910.     Marshalltown,  1910- 
Martin,  Cyril  P.     Cedar  Rapids,  Bethany,  1901-1904. 
Martin,  David  R.     Sioux  Rapids,  1908. 
Martin,  E.  H.     Reinbeck,  1878-1880. 

Martin,  John  L.     Moorland,  Mizpah,  Gait,  1904-1908.     Dinsdale,  1908-. 
Martin,  Samuel  A.     Iowa  Col.,  Van  Cleve,   Lamoille,  Rowan,  Orchard, 

etc.,  1884-1906. 
Marvin,  Chas.  S.     Riceville,  1868-1870. 
Marvin,  John  T.     (New  York,  1849.)     Iowa  Col.,  Anita,  Corning,  1893- 

1897.     Shell  Rock,    1904-1906.     Pastorates  also  at  Van   Cleve  and 

Cincinnati.     Lakeview,  1909-. 
Mason,  Jas.  D.     (New  York,  1838.)     Iowa,  1864-1910.     Died,  February 

1,  1910.     See  Chapter  XIV. 
Mason,  O.  H.  L.     Shell  Rock,  Green  Mountain,  Rembeck,  1895-1901. 
Mason,  Phillip  H.     Corning,  1899-1902. 

Mather,  J.  A.     Bruce,  Bear  Grove,  Harlan,  Garner,  1891-1907. 
Mather,  Joseph.     (Pennsylvania,   1800.)     Red  Rock,  Elk  Creek,  Fonta- 

nelle,  1853-1862.     Died  at  Red  Rock. 
Mathews,  Luther  P.     Gamavillo,  Yankee  Settlement,  Colesburg,  Post- 

ville,  1855-1878.     Died  in  Nebraska,  March,  1909. 
Maxwell,  Thos.     Ionia,  1902-1903.     Returned  to  the  M.  E.  Church. 
May,  Nelson  H.     U.  B.  Minister.     Berwick,  1903-1906.     Later  in  South 

Dakota. 
McArthur,  Henry  G.     McGregor,  1859-1860. 
McCleary,  Owen  L.     Ionia,  Elma,  Mitchell  and  Olds,  1899-1905. 
McClelland,    Thos.     (Ireland,    1846.)     Denmark    Academy,    1875-1877. 

Prof.    Tabor,    1880-1891.     Pres.    Forest     Grove,     1891-1900.     Pres. 

Knox  Col.,  1900-. 
McConnell,  Alex.  S.     (Ohio,  1838.)   Presbjrterian  pastorates,    1868-1872. 

Congregational  pastorates  Missouri  and  Kansas,  1872-1876.     Cresco, 


WHO'S  WHO  395 

1B76-1890.  Deadwood,  S.  D.,  1890-1899,  Wesley,  1899-1900.     Died  at 

Webster  City,  June,  1903. 
McCord,  John  D.     (Illinois,  1834.)     22  years  a  Presbyterian.     22  years 

Congregational  pastor  and  evangelist.     Gowrie,  1904-1906.     In  1911, 

residing  at  Lake  City. 
McCord,  Robt.  L.     (Illinois,  1830.)     Pastorates  in  Illinois  for  nearly  40 

years.     After   1890,   residence   Lake   City.     Supplied  at  Lake  View, 

Silver  Creek  and  Keck.     Died,  December,  1909. 
McClure,  Edw.  S.     Hummeston  and  Eldon,  1901-1904.     Runnells,  1908- 

1909. 
McCorkle,    W.    A.     (Iowa,    1858.)     M.    P.   pastor   two   years.     Orient, 

Tripoli,  1904-1909.     Died,  May,  1909. 
McCorkle,  E.  R.     (Iowa,  1868.)     Baxter,  Orient,  Central  City,  Preston, 

1901-1910. 
McDennid,  Duncan.     (Toronto,  1824.)     Presbyterian  minister.     Supplied 

Fontanelle,  Sabula,  1889-1893.     Died,  1897. 
McDougal,  Geo.  L.     Kelley,  1900-1901. 
McDuffee,    Sam'l    V.     (Vermont,     1835.)      Wayne    (Olds),   1868-1870. 

Returned  to  New  England.     Died,  February,  1904. 
Mcintosh,   Chas.  H.     (New  York,   1852.)     Anita,  1880-1882.     Died  in 

Wisconsin,  November,  1906. 
McKinley,  Chas.  E.     (Anita,  1870.)     Iowa  Col.,  Cedar  Rapids  Bethany, 

1891-1892.     Pastorates  in  Maine  and  Connecticut. 
McKinley,    Geo.   A.     Westfield,    Genoa   Bluffs,    Shell   Rock,    Rockford, 

1899-1905. 
McLauren,  Jas.  H.     Anamosa,  1902-1904.     Started  the  new  building. 
McLoney,  John  N.     (Ohio,   1848.)     Iowa  Col.,  Sioux  City,   1877-1878. 

Returned  to  South  Dakota.     Died,  March,  1884. 
McLeod,  Norman.     Humboldt,  1878-1879. 
McMurray,  Joseph  E.     Brighton  and  Washington,  1856-1857.     Returned 

to  Illinois. 
McNamara,    John    E.     Rock    Rapids,   1880-1882,  Sioux  City  Pilgrim, 

Sloan,  Onawa,  1887-1903. 
McNeel,  A.  W.     Dinsdale,  Mitchell,  Arion,  Garden  Prairie,  1894-1905. 
McSkimming,  David  D.     Silver  Creek  and  Keck,  Whiting,  Forest  City, 

1898-1904. 
Mead,  Wilhs  W.     Clarion,  Sibley,  1884-1886.     Foreign  Missionary,  1886- 
Melvin,  Chas.  S.     Riceville,  1868-1870.     Returned  to  the  Presbyterians. 
Menzi,  Ernest  U.     Polk  City,  1901-1902. 
Meiriam,  John.     New  Hampton,  1881-1882. 
Merrill,  James  G.     (Massachusetts,  1840.)     Kansas  pastorate,  1866-1869. 

Supt.   Kansas,    1870-1872,      Davenport,    1872-1882.    Pastorates   in 


396  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

St.  Louis  and  Portland,  Me.     President  Fiske  U.,  1899-1908.     Somer- 
set, Mass.,  1908-. 
Merrill,  Or\dlle  W.     Anamosa,  1862-1870.     See  Chapter  X. 
Merrill,  Thos.     (Virginia,  1817.)     Free  Presb.  Ch.  Wittemberg,  1854-1861. 

Congregational    pastorates,    Wittemberg,    Fairfield,   Bloomfield,   etc., 

1865-1887,  Wittemberg,  Baxter,  1885-1887.     Died,  1899. 
Merrithew,  Frank.     (Keokuk,  1864.)     Ellsworth,  Jewell,  Lincohi,   1906- 

1908. 
Mershom,  Jas.  R.     (Kentucky,   1815.)     Marion,   1852-1853.     Residence 

Newton,  1854  to  time  of  death  July,  1901. 
Messmer,  W.  S.     Belle  Plaine,  1875-1876. 
Michael,  Albert.     Kingsley,  1891-1894. 
Miles,  Milo  N.     (Connecticut,  1807.)     Ministry  in  Michigan  and  Illinois. 

Declining  years  in  Iowa.     Died,  July,  1901.     For  a  time  before  his 

death  the  oldest  Yale  Graduate  of  class,  1831. 
Miller,  Mrs.  Eva  K.     Agency  City,  1897-1898. 
Miller,  Samuel  A.     Eldon,  1893-1897.     Later  in  Ilhnois. 
Miller,  Jacob  G.     Manchester,  Alden,  Nora  Springs,  1882-1893.     Retired. 
Milhgan,   Henry  F.     (Pennsylvania,    1868.)     Reformed    Episcopal    pas- 
torates.   Congregational  in  Chicago,  1906-1910.     Dubuque,  1910-. 
MilUkan,  Silas  F.     (Ohio,  Sept.,    1834.)     McGregor,   Maquoketa,    Mason 

City,  Anamosa,  Kingsley,  1873-1905. 
Mills,  Harlow  S.     (Clay,  la.,   1846.)     Denmark    Academy,    Iowa    Col., 

Dimlap,  1877-1883.  Later,  Oregon,  South  Dakota,  Ilhnois,  Michigan. 
Mills,  Henry.     Independence,  1868-1870. 
Milne,  Geo.     Creston  Pilgrim,  Fontanelle,  1904-1909. 
Minchin,    Wm.   J.     (Massachusetts,    1865.)     N.    B.    and   Massachusetts. 

Ames,  1906-. 
Mintier,  James  H.     (Iowa,  1860.)     Pastorates  in  Minnesota  and  Kansas. 

Polk  City,  1904-. 
Mitchell,   Ammi    R.     (Maine,    1826.)     Salem,    1856-1857.      Farmington, 

1862-1863.     Died,  May,  1900. 
Mitchell,  Jas.  J.     Wittemberg,  Chester  Center,  Prairie  City,  De  Witt, 

1883-1907. 
Monroe,  Benj.  F.     See  Chapter  XI. 
Moody,  Calvin  B.     (Pastorates  in  Vermont.)     Osage,    1888-1892.     Later 

Minneapohs  and  N.  E.     President  Oklahoma  College,  1910-. 
Moore,    Adna    W.    Blairsburg,    Manson,    Reinbeck,    1895-1904.      Later 

in  Colorado. 
Moore,   Chas.  A.     (Ontario,   1860.)     Pastorates  Wisconsin  and  Ilhnois, 

1898-1903.     Davenport,  1903-1910.     Died,  January  17,  1911. 
Moore,  John  F.     Clear  Lake,  1903-1908,  Manchester,  1908- 


WHO'S  WHO  397 

Moore,  Mark  E.     (Indiana,  1838.)     Many  years  a  Methodist.     Belknap, 

1900-1906.     Died,  March,  1906. 
Moore,  W.  Howard.     Sibley,  1904-1907. 
Morach,     Jacob.      (Switzerland,     1859.)      Avoca     German,     1897-1904. 

Later  in  Nebraska  and  South  Dakota. 
More,  Edwin.     CHnton,  1891-1895.     Returned  to  Illinois. 
Morley,  John  H.     Magnolia  and  Sioux  City,  1866-1876.     Winona,  Supt. 

H.  M.  S.,  Minnesota.     Pres.  Fargo  College,  New  England  pastorates. 
Morong,    Thos.     (Alabama,    1827.)    Iowa    City,    1856-1858.     Later    in 

New  England.     Died,  Boston,  April,  1894. 
Morse,  Chas.  H.     Rock    Rapids,   Cedar    Rapids    Bethany,    Muscatine, 

1884-1889. 
Morse,  Jas.  E.     Webster,  1872-1881. 
Mosher,  Albert  E.   (Wisconsin,  1860.)     Creston  Pilgrim,   Hastings,    1887- 

1889.     Died,  January,  1895. 
Mote,   Henry  W.     College  Springs,    1892-1894.     Returned  to  England. 
Moulton,  Ezra  C.     (Quebec,  1829.)     Fayette,  Mason  City,  New  Hampton, 

Humboldt,  Ames,  Shenandaoh,  Red  Oak,  Corning,  1876-1899. 
Moulton,  Rowland  C.     Runnells,  Des  Moines  Moriah,  1893-1896. 
Mojde,  Chas.  H.     Alton,  Avoca,  1907-1910. 
Mumby,  Robt.     Fayette,  Dinsdale,  Golden,  Quasqueton,  Pleasant  Prairie, 

1888-1906.     Died,  September  20,  1908. 
Munger,  Earl  A.    Van  Cleve,  Jewell,  1904-1906.     Went  to  Oberlin  Sem. 

Later,  Washington. 
Musil,  John.     Iowa  City,  Luzerne  and  Vining  Bohemian,  1888-1891. 
Myers,  Benj.  F.     (Iowa,  1867.)     Elhott,  Bear  Grove,  Blairsburg,  Garner, 

Miles,  1896-1909,  Lewis,  1909-. 
Nelson,  Chas.  E.     Britt  Scandinavian,  1910-.     Born  in  Wisconsin,  1871. 

Gradated  from  Chicago  Sem. 
Nelson,  Geo.  W.     Silver  Creek  and  Keck,  1892-1894. 
Nelson,  John  W.     Toledo,  1895-1898.     Kewanee,  Ills.,  1898-. 
Newcomb,  Aaron  S.     Pattersonville  (Hull),  1882-1886.     Later  Wisconsin 

and  CaUfornia. 
Newhall,  Charles.     Postville,  Tipton,  1880-1885. 
Nichols,    Annie    O.     Sioux    City    Riverside,    1895-1901.      Later    Miss'y 

work  in  city. 
Nicholas,  D.  B.     Warren,  Lee  Co.,  1849-1853. 

Nine,  L.  Walter.     Mitchellville,  1905-1906.     Returned  to  U.  B.  Church. 
Noble,  Chas.     (New  York,   1847.)     Pastorates,  New  York,  New  Jersey, 

A.  M.  A.  work,  Charles  City,  1888-1893.     Prof.  I.  C.  1893-. 
Norris,  John  S.     (Isle  of  Wight.)     EvangeUstic  work  and  pastorates  in 

Iowa,  1883-1892  and  1899-1900.     Died,  1907. 


398  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

North,  Wm.   C.     (Ireland,   1876.)     Pastorates  in  Michigan,  1897-1906. 

Prairie  City,  1909-. 
Northrop,  Joseph  A.     (New  York,  1810.)     Residence  Otisville,  1860  to 

time  of  death  1880. 
Northrop,    Bryon    W.     (Pennsylvania,    1877.)     Alexander,    1904-1906, 

Farnhamville,  1906-. 
Nourse,  Robt.     (England,   1841.)     Pastorates    in   England,  lUinois  and 

Wisconsin,  Mount  Pleasant,  1873-1874.     Died,  1902. 
Nutting,  John  K.     (Massachusetts,  1832.)     Polk  City,  Bradford,  Monti- 
cello,    Glenwood,    1858-1873,    Glenwood    again,    1890-1895,    Buffalo 

Center,  Thompson,  Gaza,  Sioux  Rapids,  College  Springs  and  Farming- 
ton,  1895-1904.     Later  in  Florida. 
Nyhan,  Joseph  E.     (St.  Louis,  Missouri.)     Iowa  Col.,  Van  Cleve,  1905- 

1908,  Hartwick,  1908-1909.     Then  to  Harvard. 
Nystrom,  John  O.     Ottumwa  Swedish,  1891-1896. 
Oadams,  Thomas  S.     Lyons,  Maquoketa,  Keosauqua,  1887-1896. 
Oakey,  James.     Cresco,  1891-1893. 

Ogilvie,  Daniel  M.     Earlville  and  Almoral,  Oakland,  Ionia,   1893-1901. 
Ogle,  Wm.  H.     (Ohio,  1848.)     U.  B.  connection,  1871-1891,  Silver  Creek 

and  Keck,  1906-1909. 
Olds,   C.  Burnell.     Buffalo  Center,   1902-1903.     Foreign   Miss'y  Work, 

1903-. 
Olmstead,    JuUan   H.     (New   York,    1868.)     South   Dakota   pastorates, 

Milford,  1903-1906,  Clarion,  1906-. 
Olssen,  Cari  F.     Ottumwa  Swedish,  1901-1904. 
Orth,  Andrew.     Davenport  Bethlehem,  1893-1896. 
Orvis,  Gurney  M.     Native  of  Ohio.     Nevinville,  Winthrop,  1880-1894. 

Dubuque  Summit,  1894-. 
Osborn,  Wm.  H.     Webster  City,  1862-1864. 
Osborne,    Naboth.     (Cornwall,  England,   1871.)    Pastorates,  New  York, 

Illinois,  Buriington,  1906-. 
Osgood,  Robt.  S.     (Des  Moines,  1873.)     Iowa  Col.   Nebraska,   Indiana, 

Belle  Plaine,  1903-1908.     Seattle,  1908. 
Osthoff,  Eugene.     Muscatine,  1900-1906.     Returned  to  the  Lutheran  Ch. 
Owens,  John  T.     Des  Moines  Moriah,  1879-1881. 
Owens,  Owen.     Long  Creek,  1868-1871. 
Oxley,  Chas.  G.     (Iowa,  1870.)     Woden,  Lamoille,  Dickens,  1901-1907. 

Peterson,  1907-. 
Packard,  Theophilus.     Mount  Pleasant,  1855-1858. 
Packard,  N.   Luther.     (Massachusetts,    1857.)     Nashua,   Ionia,   Bassett, 

Chickasaw,  Buffalo  Center,  Riceville  and  Mclntire,  1886-1904.     Genl. 

Miss'y,  Nebraska,  1904-. 


WHO'S   WHO  399 

Paddock,  Geo.  A.     Keokuk,  1901-1906.     Idaho,  Oregon,  1906. 

Page,  Merritt  B.  Chicago  Sem.,  Nashua,  1870,  May-Sept.  Died,  Sep- 
tember 6,  1870. 

Palmer,  E.  B.  Born  in  Canada.  Raised  a  Methodist.  Pastorate,  La- 
moille, 1909-1910. 

Palmer,  Edward  S.  (Maine,  April,  1827.)  Pastorates  in  New  England, 
Waverly,  1865-1867.  Nebraska,  Pennsylvania,  etc.  Died,  August, 
1908. 

Palmer,  Geo.  W.  (New  York,  1819.)  Pastorates  in  Ohio.  Polk  City, 
Ogden,  Carroll,  1865-1878.     Died,  May,  1878. 

Palmer,  John  A.     Sheldon,  1876-1877. 

Pardun,  Wm.  B.     (Iowa,  1879.)     Parkersburg,  1909. 

Parker,  Alex.  (Scotland,  1829.)  Polk  City,  Humboldt,  Mitchell,  Parkers- 
burg, Miles,  Preston,  1870-1885.     Died,  December,  1885. 

Parker,  G.  Russell.     (Michigan,  1887.)     First  pastorate  Alexander,  1909. 

Parker,  Henry  W.  (New  York,  1822.)  Pastorates  New  York  and  Massa- 
chusetts, Prof.  Iowa  Col.,  1865-1870,  1879-1889.  Died,  November 
1903. 

Parker,  Jas.  E.     Sabula,  1908-1910. 

Parker,  J.  Homer.  Storm  Lake,  1875-1875.  Later  in  Kansas  and  Okla- 
homa. 

Parker,  Leonard  F.  (New  York,  1825.)  Pubhc  Schools  Grinnell,  1856- 
1859;  Iowa  Col.,  1859-1870,  State  Univ.,  1870-1888,  Iowa  Col.,  1888- 
1889.     Prof.  Emeritus,  1898-. 

Parks,  Wm.  U.     Belmond,  1904-1909.     Allison,  1909- 

Parlin,  Jonathan  B.     Stacyville,  1867-1869. 

Parmelee,  Horace  M.  (New  York,  1815.)  Ohio  and  Wisconsin.  Last 
ten  years  retired  at  Iowa  Falls.     Died  July,  1880. 

Parmenter,  Chas.  O.  (New  York,  1831.)  Army,  1862-1865.  Garden 
Prairie,  Cromwell,  Kelley,  1874-1880.     Died,  December,  1880. 

Parsons,  Chas.     Moville,  1898-1900.     Returned  to  Ilhnois. 

Parsons,  James.  Primghar,  Harlan,  1898-1904.  Later  in  Minnesota 
and  Missouri. 

Patch,  Isaac  P.     Le  Mars,  1885-1887.     Later  Pres.  Redfield  Col. 

Patten,  Wm.  A.  (New  Hampshire,  1815.)  New  England,  1847-1858. 
Maquoketa,  1858-1859,  Wilhamsburg,  1865-1869.  Other  short 
pastorates.  Returned  to  New  Hampshire  and  died  where  born,  April, 
1905. 

Paul,  Benj.  F.     Tipton,  Elma,  1888-1889. 

Paulu,  Anton.  (Bohemia,  1845.)  Soldier,  Merchant,  Assistant  to  Doctor 
Clark  at  Prague,  Missionary  in  IlLnois,  Nebraska,  Vining  and  Luzerne, 
1893-. 


400  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Paxton,  Robt.  F.     Correctionville,  Sloan,  Earlville   and   Almoral,    1898  - 

1903. 
Payne,    Wm.    B.     Orient,    Victor,    1891-1897.     Later  in   Nebraska   and 

Kansas. 
Pease,   Frank  W.     Native  of  Maine.     Central  City,  1902-1907.     Postville, 

1907-. 
Pedersen,   Jans  H.     (Jutland,   1866.)     New  Jersey  and    Maine.     Britt, 

Wesley  and  Flatten,  1903-1908. 
Peebles,    Geo.     (Scotland,    1849.)     Shenandoah,    1892-1899.     Returned 

to  Illinois.     Later  in  California. 
Peet,  Josiah  W.    (Enosburg,  Vt.,  1808.)    Fontanelle  and  Nevin,  1867-1885. 

Died,  April,  1892. 
Peet,  Stephen  D.     Cresco,  1866-1867. 
Pell,  Thos.     (Manchester,  England,  1825.)     Sibley,  1881-1883.     Ocheye- 

dan,  1889-1891.     Died  in  Ohio,  Aug.,  1896. 
Penfield,    Homer.     Native   of    New   York.     Knoxville,    Quincy,    Nevin, 

1856-1858. 
Penfield,  S.     Riceville  and  Wentworth,  1877-1879. 

Penniman,  Henry  M.     Keokuk,   1891-1895.     Later  Professor  Berea  Col. 
Penwell,  W.  W.     New  York,  Wayne  Co.,  1872-1874. 

Perkins,  Chas.  E.     (Indiana,  1853.)     Pastorates  in  New  York  and  Massa- 
chusetts.    Iowa  City,  1892-1896,  Keosauqua,  1896-1911. 
Perkins,  Geo.  G.     (Mass.,  1833.)     Ames,  Avoca,  Oakland,  Spencer.  1875- 

1890.     Some  supply  work  after  that.     Before  coming  to  Iowa  labored 

in  Massachusetts  and  Missouri. 
Perry,  Frank  S.    Hartwick,  1892-1893.    Big  Rock  and  Blencoe,  1904-1908. 
Peterson,    Chas.    W.     (Sweden,    1862.)     Centerville,    1898-1905.     Later 

in  Pennsylvania. 
Pettigrew,   Nina  D.     Red  Oak  South,   1894-1895.     Later  in  Nebraska 

and  Washington. 
PhilHp,  W.  L.     College  Springs,  1876-1878. 
Pickett,  Joseph  W.     (Andover,  Ohio,  1832.)     Mount  Pleasant,  1863-1869. 

H.  M.  Supt.,  1869-1878.     See  Chapter  X. 
Pierce,  Lucius  M.     (Massachusetts,  1861.)     Golden,  Riceville,  Reinbeck, 

Rockford,  Sioux  City  Mayflower,  1888-1907,  Primghar,  1907-. 
Pierce,  Wm.     Bentonsport,  1856-1858. 
Pinch,    Pearse.     (England,     1850.)     Massachusetts,    Wisconsin,    Texas, 

Louisiana,    Kansas,     Missouri     and     lUinois.     Fairfield     1904-1908. 

Huron,  South  Dakota,  1910-. 
Pinkerton,  David.    (New  Hampshire,  1813.)  Wisconsin  and  Kansas.  Green 

Castle,  Iowa,  1868-1870.     Residing  Grinnell,   1877-1884.     Died,  De- 
cember, 1886. 


WHO'S  WHO  401 

Piakerton,  Henry  M.     Native  of  Wisconsin.    Alton,  Cass,  1902-1905. 
Pinkerton,  Wm.  B.     Born,  Wisconsin,  August,  1861.     Mitchell,  Waverly, 

Rock  Rapids,  Newell,  1889-1903.     Later  Minnesota  and  Oregon. 
Pipes,  Abner  M.     Sioux  City  Pilgrim,   1891-1892,  Nora  Springs,   1897- 

1898. 
Pitzer,  Rowland  H.     Toledo,  1908-1909. 
Piatt,   M.   Fayette.     (Connecticut,    1822.)     Pacific  Junction,    1866-1874. 

Later  and  in  Kansas  and  California.     Died,  July,  1898. 
Plasted,  Wm.     Shenandoah,  1878-1880. 
Poague,  Geo.  G.     (Ohio,  1809.)     Wittemberg,  1855-1867.     Logan,  1870- 

1878.     Died,  January,  1896. 
Pollard,    Sam'l    W.     (Turkey,    1856.)     Postville,    1884-1896.      Returned 

to  Wisconsin.     Later  South  Dakota. 
Porter,   Giles  M.     (Farmington,  Connecticut,  1815.)     Residence  Garna- 

villo,  1857-1888.     Pastor  1863-1868.     Died,  February,  1901. 
Porter,  Henry  W.     Des  Moines  Union,  1904-1910. 
Porter,  T.  Arthur.     Maquoketa,  1892-1894. 
Potter,    L.    Eugene.     Elma,    Toledo,    1894-1900.     Percival,    1902-1904. 

Council  Bluffs  People's  Church,  1908-1908. 
Pottle,  Wm.  A.     (Davenport,  1853.)     M.  E.  Minister,  1884-1892.     Sioux 

City  Pilgrim,  Moville,  Onawa,  New  Hampton,  1897-1903.     Died  at 

New  Hampton,  April,  1903. 
Potwin,    W.    S.     (New    York,    1831.)     Fayette,    Monona,    Quasqueton, 

Gatesville,  1872-1887.     Residence  Independence. 
Povey,  Jesse.     Perry,  1903-1908.     Returned  to  Michigan. 
Prentiss,  J.  H.     Native  of  New  York.     Joliet,  111.,   1835-1839,    Lyons, 

1839-1841.     Returned  to  New  York. 
Preston,    Bryant   C.     (Kansas,    1865.)     Whitewater,    Wisconsin,   Osage, 

Muscatine,  1899-1910.      Spokane,  Washington,  1910-. 
Preston,  Elmer  E.     Oakland,  1892-1893. 

Preston,  Edward  T.     Residence  near  Baxter,  1868-1903.     SuppUed  occa- 
sionally.    Died,  1903. 
Preston,  Hart  L.     Sioux  City  Mayflower,  Knoxville,   1897-1904.     Later 

in  Washington. 
Price,  Thos.  M.     Iowa  Falls,  1895-1906.     Highland,  Cal.,  1906-. 
Prior,   Arthur  E.     (England,    1870.)     Pastorates  in   Michigan.     Newell, 

1909,  Pugh,  Elverda,  Des  Moines  Moriah,  1899-1903. 
Purdue,  Roland  W.     Cherokee,  Le  Mars,  1905-1908.     Returned  to  Illinois. 

Died,  February,  1908. 
Putnam,  Glenn  H.     Humeston,  1903-1910.     Went  into  business. 
Pyner,  Alfred.     Fairfax,  1890-1893. 
Quarder,  Paul  R.     Minden,  1894-1896, 

27 


402  THE  PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

Radford,  Walter.     Magnolia,  1879-1881,  Eagle  Grove,  1894-1896. 

Rainier,  Martin  T.     Eagle  Grove,  Creston  Pilgrim,  Kingsley,  1883-1890. 

Ralph,  Philip  H.  Came  to  Iowa  from  Wisconsin.  Reinbeck,  1908-1909, 
California  1909-. 

Ramsey,  Wm.  G.    Born  in  Ireland.    Winthrop,  1902-1908,  Eldora,  1908-. 

Ransom,  Geo.  R.  Born  in  Connecticut.  Waverly,  Webster  City,  1870- 
1881.     Died,  March,  1900. 

Rawson,  Griggs  H.  Orchard,  Niles,  Stillwater,  1907-1909,  Bear  Grove, 
1909-. 

Reed,  A.  T.  (Ohio,  February,  1845.)  Cedar  Rapids,  1880-1881.  Evan- 
gelist in  N.  E.  and  Ohio.    Died,  March,  1910. 

Reed,  Ernest  E.     Lamoille,  West  Burlington,  1897-1902. 

Reed,  Juhus  A.  (Connecticut,  1809.)  Fairfield,  1840-1844,  Agt.  H.  M. 
Socy.,  1845-1857,  Agt.  and  Treas.  Col.,  1857-1862.  Supt.  of  Southern 
Iowa,  1862-1869.     Died,  August,  1890.     Chapter  III. 

Reed,  Marian  D.  (Ohio,  1860.)  Silver  Creek,  Lakeview,  Exira,  Glen- 
wood,  Humboldt,  Eldon,  1890-1908.     Oklahoma,  1908-. 

Reed,  Thos.  J.     Iowa  Falls,  Nashua,  1881-1885. 

Remington,  ERza  M.     Woden,  1908-1909-. 

Resner,  Andrew  K.     Davenport  German,  1889-1892. 

Reuth,  Jacob.  (Switzerland,  1838.)  Muscatine,  Davenport,  Sherrill, 
Lansing  Ridge,  1869-1889.     Died,  1889. 

Reynolds,  Geo.  W.  Stuart,  Osage,  1880-1887.  Returned  to  New  Eng- 
land. 

Rhodes,  Benj.  J.  (Ilhnois,  1878.)  Lakeview,  Blairsburg,  Bear  Grove, 
1902-1909,  Oakland,  1909-. 

Rhys,  Thos.  D.     Wilhamsburg  Welsh,  1902-1904. 

Rice,  Albert  R.  Born  in  Iowa.  Education  and  service  mostly  in  Wiscon- 
sin.    Waverly,  1908-. 

Rice,  G.  G.  (Vermont,  1819.)  Fairfield,  1850-1851.  Council  Bluffs, 
1851-1857.     Onawa,  1857-1859.     See  Chapter  VI. 

Rice,  Othello  V.     Storm  Lake,  Knoxville,  1892-1894. 

Rice,  W.  H.     Waverly,  1871-1872. 

Richards,    Jacob   P.     Keosauqua,    1868-1871.     Parkersburg,    1883-1883. 

Richardson,  C.  J.     Rockwell,  1878-1880. 

Richardson,  H.  J.     (Illinois,  1850.)     Edgewood,  Quasqueton,  1902-1906. 

Ricker,  A.  W.     Jewell,  Ellsworth  and  Lincoln,  1909-. 

Rindell,  Gilbert.  (New  York,  1840.)  In  Civil  War,  Minnesota,  1874- 
1875;  Toledo;  1875-1877.     Died,  1905. 

Ripley,  Erastus.  (Connecticut,  1815.)  Iowa  Band.  Bentonsport,  1844- 
1848,  Iowa  Col.,  1848-1859.  Returned  to  Connecticut.  Died,  Feb- 
ruary, 1870.     See  Chapters  IV  and  X. 


WHO'S  WHO  403 

Risser,  Arthur.  Iowa  Col.,  Franklin,  1886-1889.  Later  in  Minnesota  and 
Wisconsin. 

Ritchie,  Geo.     Big  Rock,  Cass,  1873-1882. 

Roberts,  James  F.     Exira,  1889-1892.     Later  in  Oklahoma. 

Robbins,  Alden  B.  (Salem,  Mass.,  1817.)  Muscatine,  1843-1896. 
Died,  December  27,  1896.     See  Chapters  IV  and  XII. 

Robbins,  Horace  H.  (Muscatine,  1846.)  Iowa  Col.,  Alden,  Postville, 
1874-1880.     Treas.  I.  C,  1887-1896. 

Robert,  Joseph  T.     Shenandoah,  Victor,  1892-1894.     Salem,  1903-1905. 

Roberts,  Bennett.  (Connecticut,  1800.)  Ohio  six  years.  Marion,  Brigh- 
ton, Clay,  Traer,  1846-1876.  Died  at  Toledo,  February,  1880.  See 
Chapter  XII. 

Roberts,  Harri  P.     Old  Man's  Creek,  1895-1902. 

Roberts,  Hiram  P.     Council  Bluflfs,  1868-1871. 

Roberts,  John.     Corner,  1906-. 

Roberts,  O.  Jones.  (Wales,  1873.)  Williamsburg,  1909-1910.  Mon- 
tana, 1910-. 

Roberts,  Robert  E.  Williamsburg,  Gomer,  1882-1886,  Owen's  Grove, 
1892-1896,  Centerdale,  1905-1906. 

Robertson,  Albert  A.     Rockwell,  Oakland,  1903-1909.     Later  in  Nebraska. 

Robinson,  Eugene  H.     Clay,  1908-1909. 

Robson,  Wm.  H.     Toledo,  1909-1910. 

Rockwell,  J.  H.     Eddyville,  1878-1880. 

Rogan,  D.  H.     Newton,  1871-1874. 

Rogers,  Alonzo.  (Michigan,  1844.)  Glenwood,  1877-1880.  Deaf  and 
Dumb  Aslyum,  1880-1883,  Dunlap,  1883-1887.  Later  in  Nebraska, 
Oregon  and  Washington.     Died,  July,  1901. 

Rogers,  Chas.  H.  (Wisconsin,  1848.)  Lansing,  1877-1878.  Mason 
City,  1897-1905,  Plymouth,  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  1905-. 

Rogers,  Osgood  W.  (Maine,  1840.)  Mount  Pleasant,  1883-1900.  Okla- 
homa, 1900-. 

Rogers,  Samuel  J.  (New  Hampshire,  1832.)  Cedar  Rapids,  1882-1883. 
Later  in  Minnesota.     Died,  May,  1910. 

Rollins,  Geo.  S.  (New  Hampshire,  1864.)  Davenport  Edwards,  1894- 
1903.     Later  in  Minnesota  and  Massachusetts. 

RoHins,  Walter  H.  (Massachusetts,  1869.)  Massachusetts,  1898-1906. 
Waterioo,  1906-. 

Rose,  Wm.  F.  Cherokee,  1870-1875.  Michigan,  Minnesota,  lUinoia, 
South  Dakota.     Died,  February,  1898. 

Rosenberger,  Henry  C.  Cleveland,  Mitchellville,  Perry  Independence, 
Des  Moines  Greenwood,  Bondurant  and  Linn  Grove,  1888-1910. 

Rosewarne,  J.  V.     Mitchellville,  Milford,  1903-1906. 


404  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Ross,  John  A.     Marion,  1864-1872.     Returned  to  New  England. 

Rouse,  L.  C.     Resided  at  Grinnell  without  charge,  1861-1867.     Died  in 

1867. 
Rowe,    Jas.     (England,    1854.)     Victor,    Genoa    Bluffs,    Elma,    Chester 

Center,  1888-1900.     Later  in  Wisconsin. 
Rowley,  Loveland  T.     (New  York,  1822.)    Rome,  Hickory  Grove,  Trenton, 

CrawfordsvJle,  WajTie,  Hillsboro,  Salem,  Danville,  1871-1895.     Died, 

October,  1899. 
Rowley,  Milton.     Albia,  Eddyville,  1870-1872. 
Ruhl,  Levi  W.     (Pennsylvania,  1837.)     Iowa  in  1862.     Hartwick,  1888- 

1889.     Died,  May,  1905. 
Russell,  Isaac.     Buffalo  Grove,  Bowens  Prairie,  Monticello,  1857-1865. 
Sabin,  Joel  G.     (New  York,  1820.)     New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Wisconsin, 

Harlan,  Mitchellville,  1879-1889.     Died,  1897. 
Sabin,  L.  P.     Magnolia,  1881-1883. 
Safford,   Albert   W.      (Illinois,    1844.)     Kansas,   Utah,   Wisconsin,    Des 

Moines  Pilgrim,  1884r-1887.     Later  in  Illinois. 
Safford,  John.     Ohio,  Wisconsin.  Grinnell,   1885-1888.     Crawfordsville, 

Indiana,  1888-1891.     Died  in  1891. 
Sallenbach,  Henry.     Lansing  Ridge,  Muscatine  German,  1867-1875. 
Salter,  Ernest  J.  B.     (London,  1872.)     "Followed  the  Sea."     Stenographer 

in  Boston.     Began  with  the  Evangelical  Association.     Madison  Co. 

Churches,  Quasqueton,  Peterson,  Manson,  1895-1904,   Canada,   1904. 
Salter,  Wm.     One  of  the  Band.     See  Chapters  IV  and  XV. 
Samson,  Caleb.     Gomer,  1884-1886. 
Sands,  John  D.     (England,  1815.)     Keosauqua,  Quincy,  Belmond,   1855- 

1908.     Died,  March  7,  1909.     See  Chapter  IX. 
Sands,  W.  D.     Keosauqua,  1854-1855. 

Sargent,   Geo.  W.     (New  Hampshire,   1833.)     New  Hampshire,   Massa- 
chusetts,    Wisconsin,     Michigan,     Minnesota,     1859-1890.     Preston, 

Bellevue,  Dubuque  North  Church,  1890-1897.      Died,  January,  1905. 
Sattler,  Ferdinand.     Avoca  German,  1904-1909. 
Sauerman,  Wm.  E.     (Iowa,  1857.)     Hartwick,  Olds  und  Hickory  Grove, 

Cincinnati,  Belknap,  Stacyville,  Blencoe,  Rodney,  Washta,   1889-1910, 

Gamer,  1910-. 
Savage,  D.  F.     Stacyville,  1863-1864.     Returned  to  New  England. 
Sawyer,   Rufus   M.     (Maine,    1820.)     Iowa   City,   Anamosa,   Le    Mars, 

1869-1873.     Died  in  1873. 
Scarritt,  Wm.  R.     Fayette,  Marshalltown,  1884-1890. 
Schearer,  John.     Muscatine  and  Sherrill's  Mound  German,  1865-1869. 
Scherff,  Frank  C.  F.     Muscatine  and  Minden  German,  1901-1906. 
Schmidt,  Philip.     Davenport  German,  1899-1901. 


WHO'S  WHO  405 

Schneider,  Jacob.     Pine  Creek,  1870-1871,  Lansing  Ridge,  1889-1894. 

Schumaker,  Wm.  W.     Creston  Pilgrim,  1902-1903. 

Schwimley,   Wm.   A.     Native    of    Iowa.     Wyoming,   Nebraska,   Illinois, 

Anita,  Shenandoah,  Sibley,  1902-1910. 
Scott,  Jas.  W.     Lamoille,  1891-1895. 
Scottford,  Henry  C.     (Michigan,  1849.)     Kansas,  Michigan,  Connecticut, 

Illinois,  Nashua,  1896-1898.     Illinois,  1898-. 
Scull,   Jas.    H.     (Pennsylvania,     1850.)     M.     P.     1873-1904.     Popejoy, 

Woden,  Orient,  1904-1909. 
Seccombe,  Chas.  H.     (Minnesota,  1868.)     Sibley,  Ames,  Waterloo,  1896- 

1906.     Later  California. 
Seccombe,  Sam'l  H.     Bom  in  Minnesota.     Davenport  Beth.,   1901-1904. 
Sedgwick,    Arthur   H.     Nashua,   Belle  Plaine,    1891-1900.     Returned  to 

N.  E. 
Seeley,  Wm.     Gait,  Westfield,  1898-1903.     Ogden,  Centerdale,  1906-1909. 

Went  into  medical  practice. 
Seil,    Herman.     Wilton   Church   and   College,    1901-1904.     Later   Pres. 

Redfield  Col. 
Sexton,  Wm.  C.     (New  York,   1832.)     Lewis,  1867-1869.     New  Jersey, 

Pennsylvania,  New  York,  Vermont,  1871-1889.     Died,  August,  1908. 
Sharp,  J.  B.     Mount  Pleasant,  Glenwood,   1878-1882. 
Sharpley,  Geo.  H.     Mitchellville,  Chester  Center,  1883-1888. 
Shatto,  Chas.  R.     (Iowa,  1868.)     West  Burlington,  Danville,  Shenandoah, 

Sioux  City,  New  Hampton,   1894^1906.     Prof.,  Leander  Clark  Col., 

1907-. 
Sheldon,    Chas.    F.     (Wisconsin,    1853.)     Louisiana,    Texas,   Oklahoma, 

Danville,  1905-1909.     La  Harpe,  Illinois,  1909-. 
Shepherd,  Sam'l.     (Canada,  1850.)     Illinois,  Kansas,  Minnesota,  Maquo- 

keta,  1895-1904.     Died  in  office,  April,  1904. 
Sherman,    Eugene    L.     (New    York,    1841.)     Prairie    City,    1874-1877, 

Harlan,    Sibley,    Sioux   City     Mayflower,    Sloan,    1881-1890.     Later 

Illinois  and  Nebraska.     Died,  May,  1896. 
Short,    Wallace    M.      (Iowa,    1866.)      Wisconsin,    Missouri.      In    Iowa, 

Sioux  City  First,  19 10-. 
Shull,   Gilbert   L.     (New  York,    1853.)     Harlan,   Eagle   Grove,   Baxter, 

1890-1898.     Later  Montana  and  Idaho. 
Shorey,  H.  Allen.     Lyons,  1885-1887. 
Shultz,  Jacob.     Chester  Center,  Parkersburg,  1895-1899. 
Simonds,  W.  D.     Iowa  Falls,  1895-1898. 
Simpson,  Sam'l.     Washta,  Gamer,  1893-1895. 
Sinclair,  Cari  E.     De  Witt,  Algona,  1893-1898. 
Sinden,  Archibald  S.    Marshalltown,  Nashua,  1902-1910.   Reinbeck,  1910-. 


406  THE   PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Single,    John.     (Germany,     1857.)     Lansing    Ridge,    Shenill's    Mound, 

Avoca  German,  1883-1897.     Later  South  Dakota. 
Sinnett,  Chas.  N.     Correctionville,  Harlan,  Oakland,   1882-1888. 
Skeels,  Henr>'  M.      (New   York,   1841.)      Iowa   EvangeUst,   1886-1891. 

Pastor  in  Colorado,  1891-. 
Skiles,    Jas.    H.     (Iowa,    1857.)      Rice\'ille,    Xe\'in\'ille,    Lewis,    Avoca, 

Farragut,  Glenwood,  1882-1909,  Eldon,  1909-. 
Skinner,   Daiid    E.     (Pennsylvania,    1853.)     Pastor   and    Genl.    Miss'y, 

1884-1903,  serving  Aurelia,   Rockwell,   Mo\-ille,  Kingsley,    Primghar, 

Owen's  Grove,  Nora  Springs,  etc.     Moved  to  California,  1903. 
Skinner,  Thos.     (New  York,  1819.)     Toledo,  Indiantown,  Webster  City, 

Forreston,  New  Hampton,  Chickasaw,  Forest  City,    Fayette,    I.jma, 

etc.     Always  at  the  front. 
Slater,    Chas.     (O.xford,  England,  1839.)     Prim.   Methodist.     Congrega- 
tional   pastorates    England,  Illinois,  Prairie  City,   1874-1875.     Died, 

October,  1901. 
Sloan,    Sam'l    P.      (Ohio,    1829.)     Winnebago,    Illinois.     Army   service. 

McGregor,  1860-1870.     Died,  October,  1870. 
Slocum,    G.    M.    D.     (New   York,    1845.)     Oilman,    Rockford,    Toledo, 

1884-1899.     Returned  to  New  York. 
Sly,  M.  Hambleton.     Parkersburg,  1882-1882. 
Slyfield,   Fred   A.     Thompson,   Orchard,   Niles,   Stillwater,   Quasqueton, 

1896-1902. 
SmaUey,  Albert  L.     (New  York,   1844.)     Ottumwa,   1888-1890.     Later, 

in  Chicago  and  Ohio.     Died,  1907. 
Smith,  A.  J.  R.     Exira,  1872-1873. 
Smith,  Elijah  P.     (Ohio,  1825.)     Wa>Tie,  Danville,  Wilton,  Durant,  1855- 

1884.     Died,  1899. 
Smith,  Frank  G.     (Illinois,  1864.)     One  of  three  Brothers  in  Congrega- 
tional pastorates.     Peoria,  1898-1900.     Dubuque,  1900- 1903.     Warren 

Ave.,  Chicago,  1903.- 
Smith,  Franklin.     (Ohio,  1862.)     Nebraska,  1893-1899.      Olds,  KeUogg, 

1905-1909.     Central  City,  1909-. 
Smith,  Geo.     Big  Rock,  1867-1871. 
Smith,  Geo.  H.     Washta,  Aurelia,  1889-1895. 

Smith,  Le  Grand.     Red  Oak,  Newton,  1897-1906,  Bellevue,  O.,  1906-. 
Smith,  Jas.  M.     Sabula,  Monona,  1867-1871. 
Smith,  M.     WUton,  1872-1874. 
Smith,  Otterbein  O.     (Illinois,   1858.)     Traer,  1895-1899.     S.  S.  Supt., 

1899-1905.     Council  Bluffs,  1905-. 
Smith,  Wm.  J.     (New  York,  1813.)    Osage,  Waukon,  Alden,  Prairie  City, 

Sioux  Rapids,  1858-1881.    Died,  1890. 


WHO'S  WHO  407 

Smith,  Wm.  R.  (Pennsylvania,  1837.)  Orchard,  Golden,  SUver  Creek, 
Keck,  Oto,  1S92-1897.     Died,  December,  1905. 

Smock,  W.  B.     Exira,  1874^1875. 

Snowden,  Clifford.  Harlan,  Fairfield,  1897-1900.  Later  Chicago  and 
Portland,  Me. 

Snowden,  Jas.  E.  (Ohio,  August,  1834.)  Oskaloosa,  Storm  Lake,  Le 
Mars,  Fayette,  Cedar  Falls,  1871-1910.  Emeritus  Cedar  Falls  Church, 
1910-.     See  Chapter  X. 

Solandt,  Andrew  P.  (Canada,  1857.)  Canada,  Vermont,  Illinois,  Emmets- 
burg,  Alton,  1899-1902.     Later  Prof.  Fairmont  College,  Kans. 

Southworth,  E.  B.     Cresco,  Sheldon,  1872-1883.     Died,  1907. 

Spaulding,  Benj.  A.     One  of  the  Band.     See  Chapters  IV  and  IX. 

SpeU,  Wm.  (England,  1841.)  Buffalo  Grove,  Troy  Mills,  Central  City, 
Greenwood,  Bancroft,  1865-1888. 

Spelman,  Henr\'  D.  (Michigan,  1865.)  lUinois,  Wisconsin,  Indiana, 
Fairfield,  1900-1905;  Michigan,  1905-1910;  Atlantic,  1910-. 

Spencer,  David  B.     Des  Moines  Greenwood,  1899-1901. 

Spencer,  G.  M.     Emmetsburg,  1880-1884. 

Spencer,  Judson  D.     Nashua,  Waverly,  1871-1874. 

Stewart,  J.  P.     See  Chapter  II. 

Spiker,  Wm.  D.     Shell  Rock,  Winthrop,  189S-1902;  Kingsley,  1907-. 

Stafford,  Burnett  T.     Manchester,  1880-1882. 

Stapleton,  Robt.  Belle  Plaine,  1889-1895.  Union,  1896-1897.  Returned 
to  Michigan. 

Starbuck,  Chas.  C.     Wittemberg,  1873-1874. 

Stark,  C.  Wr     Genoa  Bluffs,  1893-1900.     Returned  to  Wisconsin. 

Stanton,  Jay  B.     Cromwell,  1901-1904. 

Staunton,  Benj.     Mount  Pleasant,  1906-1909. 

Steele,  Joseph.  Berwick,  Bondurant,  Linn  Grove,  Ankeney,  Crocker, 
1892-1902. 

St.  Clair,  Peter.     Humboldt,  1882-1884. 

Steele,  John  T.     Dickens,  Little  Rock,  Gowrie,   1907-1910. 

Stiener,  Edw.  A.  (Austria.)  Pastorates  Minnesota  and  Ohio.  Prof. 
Iowa  Col.,  1903-. 

SterUng,  Geo.  (Connecticut,  1842.)  Stac>Tille,  Burr  Oak,  1874-1876. 
Died,  November,  1901. 

Stein,  Henry  W.     Grandview,  1902-1903. 

Stevens,  .\hnon  O.  (Pennsylvania,  1868.)  Pastorates  Minnesota,  Cali- 
fornia, Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Anamosa.  1904-1905. 

Stevenson,  John  O.  (Scotland,  1841.)  Pastorates  in  Connecticut,  Shen- 
andoah, 1879-1886.     Waterloo,  1886-189-8.     See  Chapter  XV. 

Stewart,  Wm,  R.    Anamosa,  Britt,  1891-1897.    Later  in  Dlinoifl, 


408  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Stewart,  J.  P.     See  Chapter  II. 

Stiles,  Edmund  R.     (Ohio,    1835.)     Manchester,    1880-1887.     Returned 

to  Michigan.     Died,  January,  1881. 
Stillman,  Harry  W.     Stuart,  1905-1906. 

Stimson,  Martin  L.    (Vermont,  1856.)    Shansi  Missions,  1881-1889.    Micro- 
nesia, 1898-1908.     Elkader,  1909-1911. 
St.   John,    Benj.     (New   York,    1848.)     In    Iowa   from   Boyhood.     Iowa 

Col.,  Eldon,  Britt,  Des  Moines  North  Park,  1880-1898.     Genl.  Miss'y, 

1898-1899,  Fayette,  189^1904.     California,  1904-. 
Stoddard,   John    C.     Peterson,   Sibley,   Primghar,   Britt,  Ogden,  Garden 

Prairie,  Kelley,  Earlville  and  Almoral,  1886-1906.     Later  in  Illinois. 
Stoops,  J.   D.     (Delaware,   1873.)     East  Hampton,   Mass.     Chair  Psy- 
chology Iowa  Col.,  1904-. 
Storrs,  S.  D.     Glenwood,  1858-1S59.     Later  in  Kansas. 
Stouffer,  David  G.     Farragut,  1888-1891. 
Strain,  Horace  L.     (Illinois,  1869.)     Iowa  City,  1905-1908.     Died,  March, 

1909. 
Strohecker,  John  H.     Davenport  German,  1903-1904. 
Strong,  John  C.     (Connecticut,    1818.)     Miss'y  to  Indians,    1846-1849. 

Illinois  and  Massachusetts,   1849-1853,  Lyons  and    Bradford,    1854- 

1859.     Later  in  Minnesota  and  Washington.     Died,  December,  1896. 
Stuart,   Robt.     (New  Hampshire,    1814.)     Cascade,    1847-1852,   Illinois, 

1852-1860,  Montour,  Green  Mountain,  1861-1870.     Died,  June,  1884. 
Stump,  G.  Ellsworth.     Moville,  Aurelia,  1896-1901. 
Sturges,  Albert.     (Ohio,  1819.)     Principal  Denmark  Academy,  1845-1847. 

Miss'y  of  American  Board,  1852-1885.     Died,  1887. 
Sturtevant,  Julian  M.     (Illinois,  1834.)     Earlier  pastorates  in  Missouri, 

New  York  and  Chicago  and   Denver.     Grinnell,    1877-1884.     Later 

Cleveland,  Ohio,  Galesburg,  Aurora  and  Ravenswood,  Illinois,  1890- 

1902. 
Suckow,  Wm.  J.     Hawarden,  1889-1895,  Le  Mars,  1894-1896,  Hawarden, 

Algona,  Fort  Dodge,  Manchester,  1896-1907.     Agt.  Iowa  Col.,  1907- 

1910;  Davenport,  1910-. 
Swift,    Eliphalet    Y.     (Vermont,    1815.)     Denmark,    1868-1882.     Died, 

June,  1892. 
Swift,  N.  B.     Glasgow  and  Rome,  1868-1869. 
Taggart,  Chas.  E.     (Michigan,   1858.)     Rockford,  1891-1896.     Returned 

to  Michigan. 
Taintor,    Jesse   F.     (Wisconsin,    1851.)     Decorah,   De  Witt,    1878-1884. 

At  Rochester,  Minnesota,  1886-1903.     Professor  at  Ripon,  1905. 
Talbot,  Benj.     In  service  of  Deaf  and  Dumb  Asylum,  Iowa  City  and 

Council  Bluffs,  1866-1880.     Later  similar  service  in  Ohio. 


WHO'S  WHO  409 

Taugeman,  Gottlobb  D.     (Ohio,  1870.)     Danville,  1899-1903. 
Tanner,  Allen  A.     (Illinois,  1868.)     Waterloo,  1898-1902.     Later  in  Illi- 
nois and  Colorado. 
Taylor,  Chas.  B.     Orient,  1889-1891. 
Taylor,  Chauncey.     See  Chapters  VII  and  X. 
Taylor,  Elmer  C.     Percival,   1868-1870.     Labored  mostly  in  Nebraska, 

Died,  April,  1890. 
Taylor,    Glenn    A.     (Denmark,    1860.)     Stuart,    Spencer,    Emmetsburg, 

1890-1904.     Farming,  1904-. 
Taylor,  Herbert  J.    Garden  Prairie,  1909-. 
Taylor,  Jas.  W.     Aurelia,  1887-1890. 
Teele,    Edwin.     Ministry    mostly    in    Minnesota,    Riceville,    1863-1865. 

Died,  November,  1873. 
Tegnell,  G.  N.     Ottumwa  Swedish,  1904-1906. 
Tenney,   H.   Melville.     (Vermont,    1850.)     Connecticut,   Ohio,   Grinnell, 

1889-1891,  San  Jos6,  1891-1903,  Sec.  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  1903- 
Tenney,  Thos.     See  Chapters  VII  and  X. 
Teuber,     Adolph.     Clay  and  Franklin,  1893-1894. 
Thain,   Alex.     Tabor,   1894-1898.     Returned  to  Illinois  to  take  charge 

of  The  Advance.     Later  pastorates  in  Wisconsin  and  Illinois. 
Thatcher,  Geo.     Bom,  Connecticut,    1817.     Died  in   Connecticut,    De- 
cember, 1878.     See  Chapter  X. 
Thiel,  Peter  J.     Grandview,  New  Hampton,  1900-1904,  Minden,  1907-. 
Thmg,  M.  J.  P.     (Maine,  1850.)     Nebraska,  1884-1895.     Illinois,  1895- 

1898,  Iowa:  Stacyville,  Edgewood,  1898-1907,  Golden,  1907-. 
Thomas,  C.  N.     West  Burlington,  1893-1895. 
Thomas,  David.     Beacon,  1870-1872.     Gomer,  1873-1875. 
Thomas  O.  A.     Riceville,  1879-1882. 
Thomas,  Owen.     (Ohio,  1865.)     Hiteman,  Gomer,  1895-1904.     Returned 

to  Pennsylvania. 
Thomas,  Richard  H.     Reinbeck,  1881-1895. 
Thomas,  W.  Henry.     (Wales,  1834.)     Cleveland,  Iowa,  1879-1891,  1884- 

1885.     Died,  October,  1898. 
Thomlinson,  W.  Howard.     (Canada,  1875.)     Terrill,  Preston,  etc.,   1902- 

1908,  Muscatine  Milford,  1908. 
Thompson,  A.  W.     Tipton,  Exira,  1880-1885. 
Thompson,  Mark  M.     Clay,  Glenwood,  1879-1883. 
Thompson,    Thos.     (England,     1843.)     England,    16   years.     Wisconsin, 

South  Dakota,  Larchwood,  1908-. 
Thompson,  Wm.  A.     Ordained  Denmark,  1843.     Troy  Pres.,  1843-1845, 

Fairfield,  1845-1850.     Drowned  May,  1852. 
Thompson,  Geo.  0,    Valley  Junction,  1908-1909. 


410  THE   PILGRIMS   OF   IOWA 

Thomson,    James.     (Scotland,    1858.)     Kansas,    Missouri,    New    York, 

Council  Bluffs,  1902-1905,  Hampton,  1905-. 
Thrush,  John  O.     (West  Virginia,  1861.)     Postville,  1888-1890.     Spencer, 

1891-1899.     Webster  City,  1899-1909,  Spencer,  1910-. 
Tibbetts,    Dallas   D.     (Indiana,    1844.)     Teacher   Denmark,    1878-1879, 

Cromwell,    Salem,    Ogden,    Miles,    Central    City,    Eldon,    1882-1899. 

Later  residence  Fairfield. 
Tillitt,  Barton  C.     (Pennsylvania,  1847.)     Evangelist  and  pastor  Garden 

Prairie,  Baxter,  Bondurant,  etc.,  1882-1904.     Later  in  Colorado.    Died, 

July,  1908. 
Tingle,  Geo.     Rodney,  Jewell,  Gilbert,  Bondurant,  Moville,   1893-1903. 

Later  in  Missouri. 
Tingley,    Marshall.      (New    York,    1834.)     Michigan,    Glenwood,    1860- 

1861,  Sioux  City,  1861-1869.     Died,  February,  1879. 
Todd,  John.     (Pennsylvania,  1818.)     Ohio,  Tabor,  1850-1883.     Emeritus, 

1883-1888.     Died,  January  31,  1888. 
Todd,  Quintus  C.    (Ohio,  1844.)    Tabor  Col.,  Coming,  1879-1880,  Exira, 

Center  Point,  Big  Rock,  Britt,  1887-1894. 
Todd,  Wm.  E.     Creston  Pilgrim,  1897-1899. 
Toft,  J.  S.     Exira,  1870-1872. 
Tomes,  Isaac  N.     Eddyville,  Strawberry  Point,  Big  Rock,  Eagle  Grove, 

1882-1888. 
Toms,  Joseph.     (England,  1878.)     Steamboat  Rock,  Garner,  New  Hamp- 
ton,   1906-1910,    Cedar   Rapids   Bethany,   1910-1911,  Lake   Linden, 

Mich.,  1911-. 
Tompkins,  Geo.  T.     (New  Jersey,  1833.)     Magnolia,  1873-1878.     Later 

Colorado  and  CaUfornia.     Died,  March,  1884. 
Torgeson,  Cecilious  O.     Britt  and  Wesley  Scandinavian.     1890-1895. 
Towle,    Chas.    E.     (New    Hampshire,     1837.)     Monticello,     1882-1886, 

Supt.  Sunday  School  work,  1886-1899.  Died  February  22,  1899. 
Tucker,  Stillman.  Spring  Grove,  1855-1856.  Died  in  office,  1856. 
Turner,     Asa.     (Massachusetts,     1799.)     Quincy,     Illinois,     1830-1838. 

Denmark,  1838-1868.    Died,  June  11,  1886.     See  Chapters  III  and  XI. 
Turner,  Edwin  B.     Iowa  Band.    (Massachusetts,  Oct.  2,  1812.)      Illinois 

Col.,  Cascade,  Colesburg,  Yankee  Settlement,  1843-1854,  Morris,  Illi- 
nois, 1855-1864,  Supt.  in  Missouri,  1864-1876.     Died,  July  6,  1895. 
Turner,  John  M.     (Ohio,    1863.)     Castana,    Sergeant    Bluffs,    Bellevue, 

Green  Island,  Castana  again,  Rodney,  1890-1900,  Avoca,  1907-1909, 

Milford,  1909-. 
Turner,  Wm.  J.     Shenandoah,  1908-. 
Tuttle,  Henry  W.     (New  York,  1861.)    Manchester,  1889-1905,  State 

S.  S.  Supt.,  1905-. 


WHO'S  WHO  411 

Tuttle,  Warren  W.     (Iowa,  1881.)     Iowa  Col.,  Chapin,  1907-1908,  Wau- 

coma,  1908-1910. 
Tyrell,  F.  M.     (Indiana,  1850.)     Colesburg,  Osterdock,  Bethel,  1904-1906, 

Runnells,  1908-1908.     Died,  August,  1908. 
Uhlfelder,  Siegmond.     Sherrill's  Mound,  1858-1861. 
Underwood,  H.  B.     Algona,  1873-1875.     Died  in  office,  1875. 
Upton,  John  R.     (New  Hampshire,  1819.)    Durango,  Inland,  Buckingham, 

Monona,    1851-1869,    Northwestern    Iowa,    Lakeville,    Spirit    Lake, 

etc.,   1869-1883.     Sibley  without  charge,   1883-1888.     Died,  1898,  in 

California. 
Van   Antwerp,   John   D.     (New  York,    1820.)     New  York   and   Illinois, 

De  Witt,  1857-1871.     Later  in  Michigan.     Died,  1902. 
Van  Auken,  C.  H.      (Ohio,   1878.)      Pastorates   in   Ohio,  Sioux  Rapids, 

1910-. 
Van  Horn,  Francis  J.     Des  Moines  Plymouth,  1899-1903.     Later  Worces- 
ter, Mass.,  and  Seattle,  Washington. 
Van  Swearingen,  O.  M.     Mitchell,  1903-1907.     Strawberry  Point,  1907-. 
Van  Vliet,  Adrian.     Dubuque  German,  1851-1853. 
Van  Valkenburgh,  H.  C.     (Ohio,  1875.)     Illinois,  1902-1904,  Nora  Springs, 

1904-1907.     Later  Nebraska. 
Van  Wagner,  Allen  J.     Crest  on,  1887-1900.     Later  in  Missouri. 
Vietz,  Christian.     Muscatine,    1852-1860.     Sherrill's  Mound,   1862-1868. 
Vittum,  Edmund  M.     (New  Hampshire,   1855.)     Cedar  Rapids,   1888- 

1891,  Grinnell,  1891-1906.     Later  Pres.  Fargo  Col. 
Vogler,  Henry.     Sherrill's  Mound,  1862-1868. 
Votaw,    Elihu    H.     (Ohio,    1836.)     Ohio,    Kansas,    Minnesota,    Illinois, 

Hawarden,  Anita,  Exira,  1895-1901.     Died,  1902. 
Wadham,    Jonathan.     (New   York,    1846.)     Belle   Plaine,    Charles   City, 

Parkersburg,    1873-1878.     Later,   Massachusetts  and  Connecticut. 
Wadleigh,  T.  B.     Winthrop,  1908-1910. 
Wadsworth,  T.  A.     McGregor,  1858-1859. 
Wakeman,  Montgomery  M.     Farmersburg,  1865-1873. 
Walden,  Edward  A.     Ottumwa  Swedish,  1898-1901. 
Walsh,  Chas.  E.     Arion,  1909-. 

Walker,  Theo.  C     Keosauqua,  1886-1890,  Sioux  Rapids,  1892-1896. 
Ward,  John  A.     Toledo,  Prof.  Leander  Clark  Col.,  1899-1903. 
Ward,  John  R.     Hampton,  1900-1901. 
Warkenstein,  Emil  F.     Sherrill's  Mound,  New  Hampton  and  Fort  Atkinson 

German,  1905-1908. 
Warner,  Chas.  C.    (Illinois,  1857.)    Illinois,  Colorado,  Monticello,  Eldora, 

1898-1909.     Later  Minnesota. 
Warner,  Hiram  G.    Lyons,  1847-1847. 


412  THE  PILGRIMS   OF  IOWA 

Warren,  Jasper  C.     Elma,  1902-1905. 

Washington,  Alonzo  G.      Nevinville,  Blencoe,  Famhamville,  1895-1903. 

Later  in  Minnesota. 
Waterman,  Wm.  A.     (Massachusetts,   1840.)     Missouri,  Marion,   1875- 

1886.     Later  Michigan  and  Illinois. 
Waters,  Simeon.     Mount  Pleasant,  1847- 1854. 
Watson,  James  J.     Pastorates  in  Illinois.     Shell  Rock,  1908-. 
Watt,  Richard.     Aurelia,  1902-1904. 
Watt,  Wm.  J.     Doon,  1903-1905. 
Weatherly,  Arthur  L.     Milford,  1893-1895. 
Webber,  Berthold  L.     Aurelia,  Milford,  Gowrie,  1895-1899. 
Webber,  Edwin  E.     (England,  1835.)     Agency,  Glasgow,  Durant,  Central 

City,  1866-1873;  Elliott,  Reinbeck,  1885-1888,  Kingsley,  1899-1902. 

Residence  Reinbeck,  1905-. 
Wehrhan,  Nelson  W.     Student  Iowa  Col.,  Chapin,  Hartwick,  1902-1906. 

Fort  Dodge,  1909-. 
Weidman,  Peter.     Pine  Creek,  Grove  Hill,  Lansing  Ridge,   1864-1882. 

Later  in  Nebraska. 
Wells,  Ashbel  S.     (Vermont,  1798.)     Indiana  and  Michigan.     Residence 

Fairfield,  1859-1882.     Died,  October,  1882. 
Wells,  Jas.  D.     (Michigan,  1849.)     Michigan  and  Illinois.     Webster  City, 

Ames,  Wilton,  Shell  Rock,  1882-1894.     Died,  1899. 
Wells,  P.  B.     (Michigan,  1873.)     Madison  Co.  First,  Grand  River,  Fellow- 
ship, 1909-. 
Wells,  Spencer  R.     (New  York,  1838.)     Lost  arm  at  Vicksburg.     A.  B.  C. 

F.  M.,  1869-1881,  Eagle  Grove,  1886-1886.     Died,  1886. 
Welles,  Clayton.     Keokuk,  Waterloo,  1872-1883.     Returned  to  New  Eng- 
land. 
West,  Pearley  B.     Born  in  1843.     Franklin,  1873-1875,  Onawa,  Sibley, 

Little  Rock,  Lakeview,  Magnolia,  1891-1909.     Later  on  farm  in  South 

Dakota. 
West,  Lester  L.     (Wisconsin,  1851.)     Tabor  Col.,  Fort  Dodge,  1878-1889. 

Winona,  1889-1901;  Norwich,  Connecticut,  1903-1909;  Everett,  Wash., 

1909-. 
Westlake,  C.  M.     (Pennsylvania,  1856.)     M.  E.  and  Congl.  pastorates 

east  and  west.     In  business  also  in  the  west.     Hawarden,  1907-1908, 

Sheldon,  1908-. 
Westvelt,  W.  A.     Oskaloosa,  1854-1860,  Crawfordsville,  1851-1854  and 

1862-1864. 
Wheeler,   Edward   F.     Newell,    1903-1905.     Returned   to   Minnesota, 
Wheelwright,  S.  A.  Franklin,  1891-1893,  Preston,  1894-1897. 
Whitton,  Sam'l  H.     Wittemberg,  1867-1869. 


WHO'S  WHO  413 

Wliite,  Frank  N.     (Lyons,   1858.)     Michigan,   1881-1886,  Japan,    1886- 

1893,   Burlington,   1894-1898,  Sioux    City,     1900-1904,    Union    Park, 

Chicago,  1904. 
White,  Geo.  E.     (Turkey,  1861.)     Iowa  Col.,  Waverly,  1887-1890,  Miss'y 

in  Turkey,  1890-. 
White,  Geo.  H.     (Pennsylvania,  1830.)      In  Turkey,  1856-1863,  Chester 

Center,  1872-1886,  GrinneU  residence,  1886-1910.     Died,  1910. 
White,   John.       Missionary  in  Africa.      Pastor  in  Connecticut.      Ames, 

1865-1867,  Wittemberg,  1869-1871.     Died,  1872. 
White,    John    W.      Illinois    and    Missouri.      Clinton,    Boonsboro,    1866- 

1874. 
White,   Lorenzo   J.     (Vermont,    1828.)     Lyons,    1857-1860.     Later  pas- 
torates Amboy,  Illinois,  St.  Paul  and  Ripon.     Died  in  London,  Eng. 

and  buried  in  Norwood  Cemetery. 
White,  Luther  R.     Bom  in  Massachusetts.     Le  Claire,  Glasgow,  Brighton, 

1851-1858.     Died  at  Brighton,  May,  1858. 
Whitehead,  J.  M.     Genoa  Bluffs,  1904-1910. 
Whiting,   Edwin   P.     (New  York,    1830.)     Bellevue,   Durant,   De   Witt, 

1867-1877.     Died  at  De  Witt,  June,  1877. 
Whiting,  Lyman.     (Massachusetts,  1817.)     Dubuque,  1864-1869.     Died, 

May,  1906.     See  Chapters  VIII  and  XIII. 
Whitmore,   Alfred  A.     (New    York,    1817.)     Wittemberg,    Lewis,   Anita, 

1871-1880.     Died  at  Anita,  August,  1886. 
Whitney,  H.  E.  K.     Hawarden,  1910-. 
Whittlesey,  John  S.     Durant,  1856-1859. 
Whittlesey,     Nathan     H.     (Connecticut,     1848.)      Creston,      1875-1887, 

Evanston,  Ills.,  1887-1892.     Secy.  M.  R.  F.,  1892-1900.     Died,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  February,  1901. 
Wiard,  Hiram  D.     Sheldon,  1872-1875.     Later  Sem.  course.     Pastorates 

and  evangelistic  work  in  Illinois;  field  work  C.  H.  M.  S.,  Supt.  Missions 

South  Dakota  and  California.    Fort  Dodge,  1897-1901. 
Wickwire,  Geo.  A.     Larchwood,  Moville,  1902-1906. 
Wiggins,    Aaron    W.     (Pennsylvania,    1850.)     Farmington,    1897-1902, 

Miles,  1909-. 
Wilcox,    Frank    G.     (Wisconsin,    1865.)     Mason    City,    Manson,    Britt, 

Green  Mountain,  1893-1901. 
Wilcox,  John.     Iowa  Falls,  1857-1858. 
WUey,    Chas.    W.     (Ireland,    1847.)     Humboldt,    Burr   Oak,    Reinbeck, 

Rockwell,    Green    Mountain,    1876-1883.     Later   in    South    Dakota. 

Died,  July,  1885. 
Wilkins,   Harry   J.     (Bom   in   England.)     Fontanelle,    Manson,    Union, 

189&-1911,  Keosauqua,  1911- 


414  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Wilkinson,     Reed.     (Vermont,      1804.)     Fairfield,     1856-1863,     Vinton 

Asylum,  1864-1867,  Toledo  1867-1870.     Retired  to  Fairfield  in  1870. 

Died,  August,  1879. 
Willard,   John.     (Connecticut,    1826.)     Connecticut   and   Massachusetts, 

1853-1883,  Decorah,  1883-1891.     Residence  Chicago,  1891- 
Willard,  W.  W.     Anamosa,  1889-1889.     Later  in  Illinois. 
Willett,  Geo.     Sioux  City  Mayflower,  1899-1902. 
Willett,    Mahlon.     (Canada,    1849.)     Iowa   Col.     Pastorates  in   Illinois, 

Texas,  California  and  Washington.    Decorah,  1896-. 
Williams,  Geo.  C.     English  birth  and  education.     Pastorate  in  Chicago. 

Keokuk,  1906-. 
Williams,    John    M.     (New    Hampshire,  February,   1817.)     Pastor   First 

Church,  Chicago;  Fairfield,  1863-1866.     Died,  January,   1900. 
Williams,  Joseph  A.     Des  Moines  Moriah,  Avoca,  1896-1900. 
Williams,   Lloyd.     Pastorate  in  Pennsylvania,     Givin,   1890-1892,   Long 

Creek,  1892-1900.     Givin,  1900-. 
Williams,  L.  S.     (Vermont,  1796.)     Pacific,  1864-1863. 
Williams,  J.  A.     Chapin,  Rock  Rapids,  1898-1899. 
Williams,  Richard  J.     (England,   1809.)     Canada,  Michigan,  Wisconsin, 

etc.     Bradford  and  Nashua,  1868-1870.     Died  in  Nevada,  November, 

1879. 
Williams,  Mark  W.     (Michigan,    1864.)     Wisconsin,   Minnesota,    North 

Dakota,  South  Dakota.     Orchard,  Stillwater,  Niles,  1909. 
Williams,  Wm.  J.     Peterson,  1902-1904. 
WilUams,  Wm.  D.     Popejoy,  1901-1902 
Willoughby,  Albert  S.     (New  York,   1853.)     Iowa,  1887-1900,  Moville, 

Big  Rock,  Webster,  Nevinville,  Creston,  Pilgrim,  Good  Hope,  Moorland, 

Wall  Lake. 
Williston,  Martin  L.     (Bom  in  1843.)     Iowa  pastorate  Davenport,  1882- 

1888:     Later  in  Illinois,  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut. 
Wilson,  Edward  C.     (England,  1873.)     Little  Rock,  Milford,  1904-1908, 

Little  Rock,  19 10-. 
Wilson,  Gilbert  L.     Genoa  Bluffs,  1890-1892. 

Wilson,  John  W.     Council  Bluffs,   1897-1901.     Returned  to  Wisconsin. 
Wilson,  Wm.     (Yorkshire,  England,  1883.)     Sioux  City,  Riverside,  1909. 
Winchell,  R.     Warren,  1853-1856. 
Windsor,  John  H.     (England,  1827.)     Iowa  Col.,  Charles  City,  1858-1860. 

Marion,  1860-1864,  N.  E.,  1864-1883,  Waterloo,  1883-1885,  Illinois, 

1885-1892.     Died,  August,  1908. 
Windsor,  John  S.     (England,  1802.)     Durango,  1846-1848,  Maquoketa, 

1849-1855,  Cresco,  1856-1866,  Keosauqua,  1866-1868,  Cresco,  1868- 

1871.     Keosauqua,  1871-1875.     Died,  December,  1881. 


WHO'S  WHO  415 

Windsor,  Wm.  (England,  1830.)  Iowa  Col,  Mitchell,  1858-1861,  Daven- 
port, 1861-1866,  Eddyville,  1866-1867,  Illinois,  1867-1872,  Marshall- 
town,  1874-1881,  Illinois  and  California,  1889-1903.  Died,  Septem- 
ber, 1908. 

Winslow,  Lyman  W.  (New  York,  1840.)  California,  1869-1872,  Wis- 
consin, 1872-1881,  1882-1895  at  Fayette,  Earlville  and  Almoral  and 
Cedar  Rapids  Bethany.     Later  in  Wisconsin  and  California. 

Wingate,  C.  E.     Casey,  1871-1874. 

Wirt,  David.  (Ohio,  1821.)  Ohio,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Michigan,  Fort 
Dodge,  1869-1871,  Genl.  Miss'y,  1871-1872.  Later  in  Wisconsin, 
Illinois,  North  Dakota,  Oregon  and  Washington.     Died,  June,  1900. 

Wissler,  Htnrj  L.  (Iowa,  1858.)  Nevinville,  1887-1895,  Exira,  1895-1900. 
Business,  1900-1903.     Cincinnati,  1903- 1907,  Chester  Center,  1907-. 

Wolcott,  Edgar  E.     Arion,  1906-1907,  Sioux  City  Maj  flower,  1907-1910. 

Wolcott,  Wm.  H.     Allison,  1906-1908. 

Wolfe,  A.  J.  (Virginia,  1864.)  M.  E.  Minister,  12  years'  course  Oberlin 
Sem.,  Gilbert,  1909-. 

Wood,  Alfred  A.  (Wisconisn,  1854.)  M.  E.  and  Congl.  pastorates  in 
Michigan,  Ellsworth,  1904-1906.     Returned  to  Wisconsin. 

Wood,  Reuben  R.  (Vermont,  1819.)  Clear  Lake,  Lakeside,  Pioneer 
1883-1898.     Died  at  Clear  Lake,  January,  1906. 

Woodbridge,  Richard  G.  (London,  1854.)  Iowa,  1882-1888,  at  Osage 
and  Iowa  City.     Returned  to  N.  E. 

Woodcock,  Thos.  J.     Nora  Springs,  Lakeview,  1893-1896. 

WoodhuU,  Geo.  L.    Onawa,  1866-1870.     Died  in  office. 

Woods,  E.  C.  A.  (New  Hampshire,  1824.)  Worked  at  Wapello  part  of 
year,  1853-1854.     Died,  November,  1854. 

Woods,  J.  V.  A.     Red  Rock,  Oskaloosa,  1851-1854. 

Woodward,  Geo.  H.     Toledo,  1856-1867.     Died  at  Toledo  in  1877. 

Woodworth,  Horace  B.  (Vermont,  1830.)  Connecticut,  1862-1869, 
Charles  City,  1869-1872,  Decorah,  1872-1882.  Prof.  N.  D.  University, 
1885-1905,  Emeritus,  1905-1906.     Died,  December,  1906. 

Woodworth,  Wm.  W.  (Connecticut,  1813.)  Connecticut,  Massachusetts, 
Ohio,  Grinnell,  1871-1875.    Returned  to  Connecticut.    Died,  June,  1890. 

Worth,  Frederick.  (Germany,  1868.)  Pastorates  in  Nebraska,  Illinois, 
and  Oregon.     Avoca,   1909-. 

Wright,  Alfred.  (Massachusetts,  1803.)  Anamosa,  Quasqueton,  Durango, 
1846-1865.     Died,  November,  1865. 

Wrihgt,  Johnson.  (New  York,  1826.)  Ohio,  1859-1866.  Prof.  Tabor 
Col.,  1866-1877.     Died,  May,  1877. 

Wuerrschmidt,  Christian  W.  (Germany,  1850.)  South  Dakota,  1885- 
1891,  Sioux  City,  1891-1895,  Nebraska,  1895-1904.     Died,  1907. 


416  THE  PILGRIMS  OF  IOWA 

Wyatt,  Chas.     Pastorates,  1887-1903  at  Silver  Creek,  Aurelia,  Newtonville, 

Big  Rock,  Popejoy,  Wall  Lake  and  Moorland.      Later  in  South  Dakota 

and  Washington. 
Wyatt,  Frank  O.     (Rockford,  Iowa,  1874.)      Iowa  Col.,  Chapin,   1898- 

1899.     Later  in  Illinois  and  Washington, 
York,  Fred  E.     (Canada,  1844.)     M .  E.  and  Congl.  pastorates  in  Michigan, 

Eagle  Grove,  1905-. 
York,  Frank  H.     De  Witt,  1888-1889. 
Youker,    David    G.     (Canada,    1841.)      Gowrie,    Farnhamville,    Manson, 

Center,  Rockwell,  1875-1910. 
Young,  Albert  A.     Monona,  1889-1892.     Returned  to  Wisconsin. 
Zickefoose,  F.  A.     (Wayne,  Iowa,  1868.)     West  Burlington,  Clay,  Rock 

Rapids,  Onawa,  South  Ottumwa,  1897-1910. 
Zumstein,   Wm.    C.     New   Hampton  and  Fort  Atkinson,   Treynor  and 

Lansing  Ridge,  1899-1905. 


INDEX 


Academies:  Bradford,  232;  Den- 
mark, 71,  76,  232;  Hull,  232;  WU- 
ton,  232. 

Adams,  Ephraim,  51,  59,  65,  87, 
120,  134,  186,  206,  289.  Portrait, 
51. 

Adams,  Han^ey,  51,  59,  65,  87,  163, 
186,  215,  270,  305.    Portrait,  51. 

Albany  Convention,  105. 

Albany  Fund,  107. 

Alden,  E.,  51,  59,  65,  87,  94,  183, 
186.     Portrait,  51. 

Algona,  126,  135,  190. 

Allen,  A.  S.,  202.     Portrait,  126. 

Almoral,  132. 

American  Board,  116,  280,  305. 

American  Home  Missionary  Society, 
2,  32,  54,  56,  86,  89,  105,  107,  116, 
143,  225. 

American  Missionary  Association, 
86,  110,  124. 

Ames,  174,  277.     Illustration  277. 

Anamosa,  80,  111,  167,  175. 

Appanoose,  17. 

Apthorp,  William,  24,  94. 

Archibald,  A.  W.,  213. 

Association,  General,  41,  49,  58, 
73,  92,  113,  116,  128,  134,  139, 
145,  158,  165,  185,  253,  300. 

Atlantic,  182,  192.    Illustration  277. 

Avery,  WiUiam  P.,  133,  248. 


B. 


Beaman,  A.  M.,  203. 

Bellevue,  15,  82. 

Bellevue  War,  82. 

Belmond,  183.     Illustration,  277. 

Bentley,  Miss  Belle  L.    Portrait,  233. 

Big  Woods.     See  Ananwsa. 

Bingham,  J.  S.,  268. 


Blackhawk,  8,  10. 
Blackhawk  Purchase,  10,  13. 
Blackhawk  War,  9. 
Bhzzards,  203. 

Bloomington,     See  Muscatine. 
Bohemian  Churches,  237. 
Bordwell,  D.  N.,  189,  250. 
Bradford,  118,  146,  169,  179. 
Bradley,  Dan  F.     Portrait,  120. 
Brainerd,   Mrs.  JuUa  D.    Portrait, 

306. 
Bray,  W.  L.,  213,  316. 
Breed,  Mrs.  D.  P.     Portrait  233. 
Brooks,  W.  M.,  134,  181.    Portrait, 

134. 
Brown,  John,  131. 
Buck,  S.  J.,  174,  316. 
Buckingham.     See  Traer. 
Burlington,  33,  56,  79,  88,  239. 


Cass,  123. 

Cedar  Falls,  142. 

Central  City,  138. 

Chamberlain,  J.  M.,  271. 

Chapin,  133,  135. 

Charles  City,  135,  189. 

Chester  Center,  174. 

Churches  Organized,  76,  80,  84,  94, 
104,  110,  112,  114,  132,  137,  142, 
148,  158,  163,  179,  189,  194,  210, 
234  256. 

Church  Buildings,  31,  75,  78,  111, 
114,  238. 

Civil  Bend,  99,  164. 

Civil  War,  145,  147,  152,  156,  159, 
171. 

Clark,  Joseph  S.,  70,  77. 

Coleman,  W.  L.,  82,  89,  131,  198, 
285.     Portrait,  126. 

Collins,  Miss  Mary,  306.  Por- 
trait, 86. 


417 


418 


INDEX 


Congregationalism — in  Iowa,  41,  59, 

61,  295. 
Congregationalism — Western,  106. 
Congregational     Church     Building 

Society,  105,  302. 
"Congregational  Iowa,"  232. 
Congregational    Renaissance,  3,  41, 

63. 
Congregational  Sunday  School  and 

Publishing  Society,  231. 
"Congregational  Union,"  107. 
Cooper,  J.  C,  110,  217. 
Cotton,  Deacon  Samuel,  182. 
Council  Bluffs,  103,  109. 
Council  Bluffs  Association,  116. 
Cresco,  123,  152. 
Creston,  211. 
Cross,  M.  K.,  285. 
Cross,  John,  248. 
Cummings,  J.  M.,  318. 

D. 

DanviUe,  37,  85,  240. 

Davenport,  22,  37,  87,  148,  181,  242. 

Davenport,  Col.  William,  17. 

Davenport  Association,  95. 

Dean,  B.  A.,  200. 

Decorah,  114,  134,  150,  175. 

Dedications,  141,  150,  166,  180,  183, 
189,  194,  212,  238,  258,  276. 

De  Forest,  Dr.  Henry  S.  Portrait, 
86. 

Denmark,  23,  30,  57,  79,  81,  85,  167, 
185,  239,  293. 

Denmark  Association,  58. 

Deimey,  Wilson,  241. 

Des  Moines,  68,  89,  234.  Illustra- 
tion, 277. 

Des  Moines,  Plymouth  Church,  133, 
225,  278. 

Des  Moines  River  Association,  93. 

"De  Tocqueville,"  quoted,  12. 

"Donations,"  166,  174. 

Douglass,  H.  P.     Portrait,  86. 

Douglass,  T.  O.,  188,  227,  280.  Por- 
trait, 227. 

Douglass,  Mrs.  T.  O.  Portrait, 
233. 

Dubuque,  13,  18,  48,  78,  86,  240. 

Dubuque  Association,  95. 

Dunlap,  139. 

Durango,  90. 


E. 


Earlville,  139. 

Eddyville,  76,  100,  111,  175. 

Edson,  Mrs.  H.  K.     Portrait,  233. 

Edson,  H.  K.,  288. 

Ellis,  Geo.  N.,     Portrait,  134. 

Emerson,   Oliver,   44,   63,  85,   186, 

244,  296.     Portrait,  28. 
Emigrations  from  Iowa,   109,  228, 

274. 
Emmetsburg,  198. 
Exira,  139. 


F. 


Fairfield,  38,  112,  146,  241. 

Farmington,  21,  39,  87. 

Fath,  Jacob,  319. 

Fawkes,     Francis,     317.     Portrait, 

317. 
Fellowship,  299,  324. 
Femer,  J.  W.,  319. 
Ficke,  Herman,  188. 
Flag  of  49th  Iowa  Regiment,  165. 
Fleury,  Peter,  83,  89. 
Fort  Dodge,  122. 
Fort  Madison,  21,  25. 
French  Claims,  5. 
Frisbie,  A.  L.,  214.    Portrait,  227. 
Frisbie,  Mrs.  A.  L.     Portrait,  306. 


G. 


Gamavillo,  64,  87. 

Garnavillo  Association,  131. 

Gates,  G.  A.     Portrait,  120. 

Gaylord,  Reuben,  34,  38,  85,  120, 
244.     Portrait,  28. 

General  Missionaries,  233,  255,  276. 

German  Work  in  Iowa,  83,  89,  94, 
132,  233,  236. 

Gilman,  316. 

Gist,  W.  W.,  242. 

Gordon,  John.     Portrait,  134. 

Grasshoppers,  207. 

Green  Mountain,  133. 

Griffith,  Lieutenant  Joseph  E.,  160. 

Grimes,  Governor  J.  W.,  135,  158. 

Grinnell,  119,  128,  228.  Illustra- 
tion, 277. 

GrinneU  Association,  131. 


INDEX 


419 


GrinneU,  Josiah  B.,  114,  128,  266. 
Guernsey,  Jesse,  113,  134,  138,  151, 
182,  204.     Portrait,  113. 

H. 

Hampton,  133. 

Hand,  L.  S.,  213,  319. 

Hanson,  J.  H.     Portrait,  317. 

Hard  Times,  135,  138,  149. 

Harden,  Mrs.  J.  F.     Portrait,  306. 

Harvey,  W.  L.,  187,  250. 

Haystack  Settlement.  See  Den- 
mark. 

Herrick,  S.  L.,  249. 

Hess,  Carl  V.,  90,  128. 

Hill,  E.  S.,  182,  186,  192.  Portrait, 
99. 

Hill,' J.  J.,  51,  64,  76,  84,  87,  108, 
217.     Portrait,  51. 

Hitchcock,  George  B.,  89,  100,  218. 

Holbrook,  J.  C,  13,  38,  45,  47,  69, 
113,  128,  168,  186,  240,  285.  Por- 
trait, 28. 

Home  Missions,  149,  225,  254,  295, 
298. 

Home  Missionary  Offerings,  226, 
233,  255,  311. 

Home  Missionary  Superintendents: 
Asa  Turner,  32,  54,  81 ;  J.  A.  Reed, 
77,  100;  Jesse  Guernsey,  134,  205; 
E.  Adams,  206;  T.  O.  Douglass, 
227,  283;  P.  A.  Johnson,  283. 

Hughes,  R.  C.     Portrait,  134. 

Hurlbut,  Joseph,  150,  178,  219. 

Hutchinson,  Horace,  51,  59,  65,  74, 
77.     Illustration,  51. 


Illinois  Band,  3. 

Indians,  11,  16,  26,  53,  66. 

Indian  Deputation,  16. 

InfideUty,  72,  76,  304. 

Iowa:  Territorial  Names,  7;  Explo- 
rations, 8;  Admitted  to  Union,  83; 
Settlement  of  state,  292. 

"Iowa  Band,"  51,  56,  190,  253. 

Iowa  Church  Building  Fund,  105, 
130. 

Iowa  City,  125,  180. 

Iowa  College,  71,  84,  92,  95,  113, 
130,  140,  159,  162,  166,  228,  262. 


Iowa    Congregational    Home    Mis- 
sionary Society,  227,  254,  283. 
Iowa  Falls,  122. 


Johnson,  P.  A.     Portrait,  227. 
Jones,  Darius  E.,  247. 

K. 

Kansas  Troubles,  130. 
Keith,  William,  89,  94,  115. 
Kelsey,    Mrs.    Mary    S.     Portrait, 

306. 
Kent,  Aratus,  14,  195. 
Keokuk  (Indian  Chief),  10,  11,  16. 
Keokuk  Church,  114,  225. 
Keosauqua,  65,  87. 
Kimball,  E.  P.,  124,  315. 
"Kingdom  Movement,"  263. 
Kinzer,  A.  D.,  213,  320. 
Kneeland,  Abner,  65,  72,  304. 
Knowles,  David,  161. 


La  Due,  S.  P.,  131. 

Lane,  Daniel,  51,  59,  65,  87,  186, 
265.     Portrait,  51. 

Lavender,  R.  F.,  241. 

Legislature,  First  Iowa  described, 
83 

Lewis,  G.  H.     Portrait,  227. 

Lewis  and  Clark  Expedition,  8. 

"Little  Brown  Church,"  117.  Illus- 
tration, 117. 

Littlefield,  Ozias,  118,  247. 

Long,  F.  W.     Portrait,  134. 

Louisiana  Purchase,  7. 

Lyons,  38,  241. 

M. 

McGregor,  121,  132,  141. 

Magnolia,  119. 

Magoun,  F.,  248. 

Magoun,  President,  George  F.,  120, 
148,  168,  269.     Portrait,  120. 

Magoun,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  E.  Por- 
trait, 306. 

Main,  J.  H.  T.,  Portrait,  120. 

Manchester,  123,  167. 


420 


INDEX 


Maquoketa,  62,  66,  112,  262. 

Marion,  95,  111,  154,  175. 

Marsh,  Miss  Ella.     Portrait,  233. 

Marshall,  C.  A.,  288. 

Mason,  J.  D.,  187.     Portrait,  126. 

Mason  City,  136. 

Merrill,  Annie  D.,  227.  Portrait,  227. 

Merrill,  J.  H.     Portrait,  227. 

MerriU,  O.  W.,  218. 

MiUikan,  S.  F.,  317. 

Ministry,  Value  of,  322. 

Ministerial  ReUef  Fund,   158,  301, 

303. 
Missionary  Campaigns,  279. 
Missouri  Slope,  98. 
Mitchell,  131. 
Mitchell  Association,  131. 
Mormons,  98,  102. 
Mormon  Trail,  101. 
Moulton,  E.  C,  214. 
Mt.  Pleasant,  43,  65,  164. 
Muscatine,  65,  88,  259. 


N. 


National  Council,  280,  301. 
Navigation  of  Iowa  Rivers,  42,  141. 
Nevinville,  137. 
New    England — Prejudice    against, 

24,  36. 
New  Hampton,  136. 
New  Purchase,  52. 
"News  Letter,  Iowa,"  159,  287. 
Newton,  124. 

Nichoson,  Mrs.  M.J.    Portrait,  233. 
Noble,  Charles,  242. 
Northern  Iowa  Association,  50. 
Northwestern  Association,  140. 
Northwestern  Iowa  Settled,  197. 
Northwest  Territory,  2. 
Nutting,  J.  K.,  128.     Portrait,  117. 


O. 


"Oberlin  Rescuers,"  139. 

Onawa,  137. 

Orvis,  G.  M.,  241,  258. 

Osage,  136,  141,  157.  Illustration, 
141. 

Osage  Pastors  and  Wives.  Illustra- 
tion, 157. 

Oskaloosa,  94. 

Ottumwa,  66,  80,  88,  104,  154,  262. 


Parker,  Alexander,  249. 

Parker,  L.  F.,  316. 

Parker,  Mrs.  Nellie  Clarke.  Por- 
trait, 306. 

Parker,  Mrs.  L.  F.,  285. 

Parker,  Mrs.  Sarah  Candace.  Por- 
trait, 306. 

Parsonages,  181. 

Pastoral  Support,  322. 

Pastorates,  long,  323. 

Patriotic  Resolutions,  145,  158,  162, 
165. 

Pauliu,  Anton.    Portrait,  317. 

"Pet  Bear"  (a  Desperado),  con- 
verted, 91. 

Pickett,  Joseph,  164,  192,  221.  Por- 
trait, 113. 

Pike,  Zebulon,  8. 

Pilgrims,  The,  1. 

Pioneer  Conditions,  20,  22,  24,  32, 
49,  67,  201,  296. 

Place  Seeking  and  Place  Making, 
323 

Polk  City,  137. 

Political  Movements,  135. 

Population  of  Iowa,  67,  253,  292. 

Porter,  H.  W.     Portrait,  86. 

Potter,  Mrs.  E.  R.     Portrait,  306. 

Potwin,  Miss  Grace.     Portrait,  306. 

Powesheik,  17. 

Prairies,  considered  worthless,  101, 
142,  176. 

Presb>i:erians:  Plan  of  Union  with, 
64;  Comity  Efforts,  107;  With- 
drawal, 143. 

Presbyterian  churches  Congrega- 
tionahzed,  60,  61,  95,  136,  175, 
180. 

Prospectors,  13. 

Prosperity,  141,  173. 

Prohibitory  Amendment,  230. 

Puritan  Stream  from  the  South,  292, 


R. 


Raih-oads,    111,   113,  177,  194,  224. 
Reed,  Juhus  A.,  21,  26,  40,  41,  77, 

100,  133,  191,  238,  266.    Portrait, 

28. 
Revivals  and  Ingatherings,  76,  86, 

103,  257,  276. 


INDEX 


421 


Rew,  Mrs.  Clara  Whipple.  Por- 
trait, 306. 

Rice,  G.  G.,  103,  109.  Portrait, 
99. 

Riceville,  136. 

Ripley,  Erastus,  51,  59,  64,  88,  216. 

Robbins,  A.  B.,  51,  59,  66,  88,  164, 

186,  270.     Portrait,  51. 
Robbins,  Mrs.  A.  B.,  92,  267. 
Robbins,  Mrs.  H.  H.,  233.  Portrait, 

223. 
Roberts,  Bennet,  95,  246. 
Rockford,  131,  146. 
Rogers,  Deacon  Jesse,  268. 


Salaries  of  Missionaries,  32,  81,  204, 
295. 

Salem,  112,  153. 

Salter,  William,  51,  59,  66,  78,  88, 
167,  186,  294,  313.     Portrait,  51. 

Salter,  Mrs.  William,  267. 

Sands,  J.  D.,  192,  210,. 238.  Por- 
trait, 103. 

Self  Support  (of  local  churches),  81, 
86,  175,  181,  194,  212,  225. 

Self  Support,  (state),  227. 

Semi-Centennials,  238,  261,  282. 

Sickly  Season,  74,  77. 

Sioux  Association,  201. 

Sioux  City,  133. 

SkUes,  J.  H.,  241. 

Slavery:  Pro-slavery  sentiments, 
155,  292;  Anti-slavery  resolu- 
tions, 92,  116,  129,  134,  145. 

Sloan,  S.  D.,  216. 

Sloughs,  198,  202. 

Smith,  Joseph,  73. 

Smith,  E.  P.,  115. 

Smith,  W.  J.,  136,  162,  202. 

Smith,  O.  O.     Portrait,  231. 

Snowden,  J.  E.,  213.     Portrait,  227. 

"Sodom  and  Gomorrah,"  87. 

Spanish  Claims  to  Iowa,  5,  6. 

Spaulding,  Benjamin.     Portrait,  51. 

Spaulding,  A.  B.,  51,  59,  66,  88,154, 
185. 

Spencer,  198. 

Squatter  Claims,  23,  33. 

Stacyville,  131,  141. 

Stage  Coach  Travel,  97. 


Stevenson,  J.  O.,  318. 

Stuart,  Robert,  247. 

Sturtevant,  J.  M.,  227,  232,  243. 
Portrait,  227. 

Sunday  Schools — State  Superintend- 
ent of,  231. 

Scandinavian  Churches,  237. 


Tabor,  110,  118,  130. 

Tabor  College,  134,  181. 

Taylor,  Chauncey,  126,  127,  184, 
197,  209,  220.    Portrait,  126. 

Tenney,  Thomas,  136,  219. 

Thanksgiving  Day,  73. 

Thatcher,  Dr.  George,  221. 

Thrush,  J.  O.     Portrait,  103. 

Todd,  John,  99,  102,  110,  130.  Por- 
trait, 99. 

Toledo,  114,  152,  183. 

Tornado  at  Grinnell,  228. 

Towle,  C.  A.,  272.    Portrait,  231. 

Towle,  Mrs.  Ella  R.     Portrait,  306. 

Traer  (also  Buckingham),  123,  183. 

"Treason,"  173,  185. 

Turner,  Asa,  19,  21,  28,  54,  81,  84, 
185,  245.    Portrait,  28. 

Turner,  E.  B.,  51,  59,  68,  89,  186. 
Portrait,  51. 

Tuttle,  H.  W.     Portrait,  231. 


U. 


Upton,  J.  R.,  103,  198.     Portrait, 
103. 


V. 


Vincent,  Deacon  W.  K.,  38. 
Vittum,  E.  M.,  260.     Portrait,  233. 

W. 

Wapello,  17. 

Watson,  Cyrus  L.,  17,  20. 

Waterloo,  124. 

Wayne,  115. 

Webster  City,  120,  167. 

Welles,  Clayton.     Portrait,  227. 

Welsh  Churches,  125,  236. 

White,  George  E.,  243. 


422 


INDEX 


White,  G.  H.,  213,  315. 

Whiting,  Lyman,  168,  287. 

Wilcox,  Mrs.  W.  C.     Portrait,  306. 

WUhamsburg,  124. 

Windsor,  J.  W.,  90,  94,  112. 

Windsor,  William,  113. 

W.  B.  M.  I.,  306. 

W.  H.  M.  U.,  233. 


Woodworth,  Dr.  F.  G.    Portrait, 
Wright,  Alfred,  80,  89,  175. 


Y. 

Youker,  D.  G.,  213,  318. 

317. 
Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.,  231. 


Portrait, 


DUE  DATE 

flKE.  SI 

P  2  9198/ 

201-6503 

Printed 
in  USA 

938,3  D747 


.   r^  Kl    0    1      1QAQ 


